title: Threshold and subthreshold generalized anxiety disorder in later life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Symptoms and disorders of anxiety are highly prevalent among older adults; however, late-life anxiety disorders remain underdiagnosed. The objective of this study was to (1) estimate the prevalence of late-life threshold and subthreshold generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), (2) examine sociodemographic and health correlates associated with membership in these groups, (3) assess 3-year conversion rates of these groups, and (4) explore characteristics associated with 3-year conversion to GAD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using Waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiological Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions, 13,420 participants aged 55-98 years were included in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subthreshold GAD was more highly prevalent than threshold GAD and was interposed between asymptomatic and GAD groups in terms of severity of health characteristics. Although most participants with subthreshold and threshold GAD were asymptomatic by Wave 2, differences in disability persisted. Subthreshold GAD at baseline was not a predictor of threshold GAD at follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that late-life GAD should be conceptualized as a dimensional rather than categorical construct. The temporal stability of anxiety-associated disability further suggests that subthreshold GAD bears clinical significance. However, the suitability and efficacy of interventions for minimizing negative sequelae in this group remain to be determined.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: b.miloyan@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Beyon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Miloyan
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Gerard J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Nancy A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Pachana
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D062706:Prodromal Symptoms
keywords: Anxiety; assessment; diagnostic; geriatric; longitudinal; outcomes; subsyndromal