The Social Costs of Anxiety Disorders

Abstract

Background. The social costs of anxiety disorders, which afflict a substantial proportion of the general population in the United States, are considered.Method. Data from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Epidemiological Catchment Area Program were analysed.Results. Over 6% of men and 13% of women in the sample of 18 571 had suffered from a DSM–III anxiety disorder in the past six months. Nearly 30% of those with panic disorder had used the general medical system for emotional, alcohol or drug-related problems in the six months prior to the interview. Those with anxiety disorders were also more likely to seek help from emergency rooms and from the specialised mental health system. Men with panic disorder, phobias or obsessive–compulsive disorder in the previous six months are more likely to be chronically unemployed and to receive disability or welfare.Discussion. Once correctly diagnosed there are safe and effective psychopharmacologic and behavioural treatments for the anxiety disorders. Nevertheless the burden of anxiety disorders extends beyond the direct costs of treatment to the indirect costs of impaired social functioning.

Feedback of end-tidal pCO2 as a therapeutic approach for panic disorder

“…Panic disorder (PD) is a common psychiatric disorder with a lifetime prevalence of approximately 3% (Kessler et al, 1994), associated with high levels of social, occupational, physical disability (Klerman et al, 1991;Keller et al, 1994), and considerable economic costs (Leon et al, 1995). Numerous outcome studies have established the efficacy of pharmacological (Mavissakalian & Michelson, 1986) and psychological treatments (Barlow et al, 2000).…”

Treatment-resistant anxiety disorders

“…Nevertheless, this group is responsible for decreasing productivity, and increasing morbidity, mortality, and alcohol and drug abuse in a large segment of the population. [4][5][6] A listing of each anxiety disorder and the prevalence rate over 12 months is listed in Table 1. 7 The lifetime prevalence estimated without an adjustment for clinical significance is twice the annual prevalence rate indicating that 28.8% or roughly one out of three people has a risk of meeting criteria for an anxiety disorder sometime at some point in their life.…”

Familial risk factors in social anxiety disorder: calling for a family-oriented approach for targeted prevention and early intervention

“…SAD is almost twice as often present in females than in males [24,62,115] and is associated with a decline in school or work performances, (school) refusal, and disinterest in age-appropriate activities [82]. SAD often hampers affected individuals from pursuing their academic achievements, leading to lower educational attainment [47,85], impaired work-performance, underemployment and lower household-income and subsequently high levels of financial dependence and lower socio-economic status [23,61].…”