Anxiety disorders in the elderly: the effect of child maltreatment

Abstract

Introduction: Anxiety disorders in the elderly, when analyzed in light of the effects of childhood maltreatment, are notable not only for the high prevalence of these disorders in this age group, but also for the growing evidence that traumatic childhood experiences may play a significant role in its late development. Objective: To evaluate the influence of the occurrence and characteristics of child abuse and the clinical manifestation of anxiety disorders in the elderly. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study, carried out with elderly people from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods in Porto Alegre, Brazil (n = 274), who responded to the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview 5.0 (MINI). more. Results: The development of anxiety disorder in the elderly was associated with several factors, reflecting a complex interaction between past experiences and present conditions. Among these factors, it was possible to deduce that the presence of child abuse, psychiatric comorbidities, disadvantaged financial conditions and low levels of education stood out. Conclusion: It is concluded that these findings support the hypothesis that child maltreatment is associated with anxiety disorders in the elderly and with specific levels of financial and educational conditions. Although they suggest that improving maladaptive social conditions in childhood could prevent anxiety disorders in the elderly.