Prevalence Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Research Articles

Prevalence of Generalized Anxiety Disorder among University Students in Saudi Arabia

Background: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a psychological illness characterized by excessive worry and physical symptoms such as sweating and fast heartbeat. Understanding the prevalence of GAD among university students is crucial for addressing mental health challenges in this population. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder among university students in Saudi Arabia and also to assess levels of depression and stress among them. Methods: A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted. A comprehensive search was performed in major databases using specific keywords related to anxiety, students, and Saudi Arabia. Studies conducted between 2020-2024, in English, and with free accessible articles were included. Data extraction and synthesis were carried out to analyze relevant findings. Results: The systematic search yielded 41 study papers, with 8 meeting eligibility criteria. Various studies reported high levels of anxiety, depression, and stress among university students in Saudi Arabia, with female students showing higher prevalence rates. Factors such as age, gender, and academic performance were associated with increased anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: The study revealed a high prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and stress among university students in Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the need for interventions and support systems. Early detection and management of anxiety disorders are essential for mitigating the economic and social burden associated with these conditions, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing mental health challenges among university students is crucial for promoting overall well-being and academic success.

Generalized anxiety disorder and associated factors in primary health care workers in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

The COVID-19 pandemic had direct and indirect impacts on public health, also affecting the mental health of the population. To analyze symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and associated factors, in primary health care (PHC) professionals. Cross-sectional and analytical study conducted with professionals who work in the Primary Health Care (PHC) of the Northern health macro-region of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Data collection was carried out through an online, self-administered questionnaire, made available from August 27, 2021, to October 30, 2021 using the Google Forms tool. The questionnaire included sociodemographic questions as well as questions related to the history of anxiety and work during the pandemic. To assess anxiety symptoms, the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) instrument was used. Data treatment consisted of descriptive analysis of the variables, bivariate analysis followed by multivariate Poisson Regression with robust variance. 702 health professionals participated in the study and the general prevalence of GAD was 32.2%. Current anxiety symptoms were self-reported by 37.6% of the participants. In the final model, the associated factors identified were: female sex (PR = 1.82; 95% CI = 1.17-2.84; p = 0.007), previous symptoms (PR = 1.58; 95% CI = 1.19-2.10; p = 0.002) and (PR = 2.68; 95% CI = 2.00-3.62; p < 0.001) current self-reported anxiety. The results show the need to implement actions in mental health promotion and anxiety prevention, through the dissemination of information about mental health care, health education activities, encouraging the adoption of healthy habits and professional monitoring when necessary.

The PERSIAN Cohort: Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders Among Employees.

Considering the impact of psychiatric disorders on the productivity of individuals and society's economy, we aimed to determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among the employees of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1282 employees of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 2019. The required data were collected by trained psychologists using Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). In this process, psychiatric disorders were considered dependent variables, and demographic variables as independent variables. The relationship between independent and dependent variables was assessed using the chi-square test and Binary logistic regression in Stata version 17. The prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) among employees was 14.12%, 12.48%, and 3.9%, respectively. The prevalence of GAD in women was significantly higher than men (17.06% vs. 10.02%, P<0.001). The prevalence of GAD was 42.86%, 15.97%, 13.49%, and 16.67 in widowed, single, married, and divorced employees, respectively (P=0.016). The prevalence of MDD in women was significantly higher than men (16.59% vs. 7.64%, P<0.001). The prevalence of MDD was 16.3%, 11.2%, 9.6%, and 8.56% in employees with Bachelor's, Associate, Master's degree, and High school diploma, respectively (P=0.009). Considering the relatively high prevalence of GAD and MDD among the employees of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, strengthening counseling centers in the university and encouraging employees to participate in these centers, and examining them in terms of mental health help identify people at risk of mental disorders in time and provide counseling services to these people.

Association between visceral adiposity and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

Background and objectivesDue to an increased rate of inflammation in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), insight into the mediating factors in the onset and recurrence of the inflammatory response can help to achieve novel treatments for alleviating the risk of GAD. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the possible relationship between visceral adipose tissue (VAT) as an important intermediary in inflammation pathways and GAD in participants of the Employees’ Health Cohort Study of Iran (EHCSIR).MethodWe analyzed the data from 3889 included participants aged > 18 years in the EHCSIR study, which were collected from 2017 to 2020. Lifetime and 12-month GAD were assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI-2.1) questionnaire. The adjusted prevalence ratio was computed to evaluate the association between GAD and visceral adiposity index (VAI), GAD and visceral fat area (VFA), GAD and body mass index (BMI) and ultimately GAD and waist circumference (WC) in males and females using STATA software.ResultsLog-binomial analysis showed a higher prevalence ratio of 12-month GAD associated with VFA in women [PR: 1.42, CI: 1.07–1.87, P: 0.015]. The prevalence of lifetime GAD was higher in obese women (BM1 > 30) [PR: 2.35, CI: 1.07–5.13, P:0.03] than in women with normal BMI. Women with higher VAI were also significantly more likely to suffer lifetime GAD [PR: 1.25, CI: 1.05]. 1.48, P:0.01]. In males, the prevalence of lifetime diagnosed GAD per 1 standard deviation increase in VFA was 0.65 [CI: 0.46–0.91, P: 0.01].ConclusionVisceral adiposity as a positive agent was associated with GAD prevalence in women. The presence of GAD symptoms showed no relationship to VFA in men.

Prevalence and correlates of generalized anxiety disorder and perceived stress among Sudanese medical students

BackgroundGeneralized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) causes significant disturbance in an individual’s well-being and activity. Whereby, interfering with the dynamic progress in life. Also, anxiety is a product of stress and a major predictor of academic performance. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), measure levels of anxiety and perceived stress, evaluate the academic profile, identify lifestyle characteristics, and explore the relationship between these factors.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 340 Sudanese medical students filled out online questionnaires, composed of the sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics, academic profile, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 scale (GAD-2), and Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10). Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 20.0 for data analysis.ResultsOf 340 medical students, 3.8% of them were diagnosed with GAD, while 29.1% scored ≥ 3 in GAD-2, indicating a possible diagnosis. The study found that 9.7% of the participants used addictive substances, with 42% of them having high GAD-2 scores. Moreover, high anxiety levels were associated with high-stress scores (p-value = 0.000). Also, high GAD-2 scores were significantly associated with students who spent less than 10,000 SDG (18 USD) weekly, spent more time on entertainment using smart devices (p-value = 0.004), and had an unhealthy diet (p-value = 0.004). Low anxiety levels were associated with better sleep quality (p-value = 0.00), satisfaction with religious practices (p-value = 0.00), and increased leisure/hobby time (p-value = 0.018). High-stress levels were observed in females (p-value = 0.035), those with lower academic performance satisfaction levels, and increased hours of smart device usage for entertainment (p-value = 0.001). Reduced stress levels were associated with being ≥ 23 years old, increased leisure/hobby time (p-value = 0.002), satisfaction with religious practices [F(3, 166.6) = 10.8, p-value = 0.00)], and having a healthy diet (p-value = 0.006).ConclusionThe low prevalence of GAD corresponded with previous literature, but 29.1% of medical students had a high probability of having GAD. The study emphasizes on providing accessible mental health services for medical students and interventions addressing modifiable risk factors.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Food Insecurity Fuel the Mental Health Crisis in Africa.

Objective: Providing country-level estimates for prevalence rates of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), COVID-19 exposure and food insecurity (FI) and assessing the role of persistent threats to survival-exemplified by exposure to COVID-19 and FI-for the mental health crisis in Africa. Methods: Original phone-based survey data from Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Uganda (12 consecutive cross-sections in 2021; n = 23,943) were analyzed to estimate prevalence rates of GAD. Logistic regression models and mediation analysis using structural equation models identify risk and protective factors. Results: The overall prevalence of GAD in 2021 was 23.3%; 40.2% in Mozambique, 17.0% in Sierra Leone, 18.0% in Tanzania, and 19.1% in Uganda. Both COVID-19 exposure (ORadj. 1.4; CI 1.3-1.6) and FI (ORadj 3.2; CI 2.7-3.8) are independent and significant predictors of GAD. Thus, the impact of FI on GAD was considerably stronger than that of COVID-19 exposure. Conclusion: Persistent threats to survival play a substantial role for mental health, specifically GAD. High anxiety prevalence in the population requires programs to reduce violence and enhance social support. Even during a pandemic, addressing FI as a key driver of GAD should be prioritized by policymakers.

Generalized anxiety disorder among patients attending primary health care at security forces hospital, in Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Background: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) among patients presents an essential and increasing mental health concern for which prevalence data are needed. The aim of the present study was to measure the prevalence of GAD among patients attending primary health care (PHC) and its association with sociodemographic factors and mental disorders. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among adult patients at Security Forces Hospital. An Arabic self-administered questionnaire composed of two parts: sociodemographic data (age, gender, medical history of GAD diagnosis, and psychiatric comorbidities) and the 7-item generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7) scale. Results: A total of 386 individuals participated in our questionnaire, of whom 53.1% were males and the remainder 46.9% were females. According to the GAD-7 questionnaire, the overall prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) was 12.7%. However, the prevalence of anxiety severity was as follows: 56.2% had no or minimal anxiety, 31.1% had mild anxiety, 8.8% had moderate anxiety, and 3.9% had severe anxiety. Females had a significantly higher mean GAD score (15.7% times higher) compared to males in general. Patients with a previous diagnosis of GAD or co-occurring mental disorders had a higher mean GAD score compared to patients not known to have mental disorders. Conclusion: The present study found the overall prevalence of GAD to be 12.7%. Further studies are needed in various cities.

Mental Health Challenges: Anxiety Among Medical Students - A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study

BACKGROUND: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by consistent and excessive worry, significantly impacting daily functioning and academic performance. Medical students encounter various challenges during their academic years and clinical rotations that put them at a higher risk of developing anxiety. In addition, Sudan is currently experiencing a complex social and political environment characterized by political unrest and economic crises. These factors may further increase medical students' risk of developing GAD. Unfortunately, limited research has been conducted on GAD among medical students in Sudan. This study aimed to determine GAD prevalence, assess risk factors, and examine its impact on academic achievement and daily activities among Sudanese medical students. METHODS: A cross-sectional analytical study was done among undergraduate medical students at Omdurman Islamic University in Sudan from January to February 2023. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select 374 participants. Data were collected via an electronic self-administered questionnaire comprising two parts: sociodemographic information and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7), a validated tool for screening and assessing GAD severity. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and multivariate regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Effect sizes were measured using Cohen's d and eta-squared. The cut-off p-value for statistical significance was set at &lt; 0.05. RESULTS: The prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) was 33.7%, with severity levels of 41.2% for mild anxiety, 21.4% for moderate anxiety, and 12.3% for severe anxiety. The mean GAD score was significantly higher among female medical students (p &lt; 0.001) and those with chronic diseases (p = 0.034). GAD significantly impacted daily activities among those who reported higher GAD scores (p &lt; 0.001). In multivariate regression analysis, medical students in the final year had almost 4.246 higher odds of having GAD [95% CI for AOR = 1.267, 14.221] (p = 0.019). Females had 2.4 times higher odds of having GAD [95% CI for AOR = 1.458, 3.946] (p &lt; 0.001). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) among Sudanese medical students is relatively high and has a detrimental impact on daily activities. Medical students in the final year have a higher risk of GAD, and significant associations were found between GAD and female sex, as well as chronic diseases. The high prevalence of GAD among medical students is concerning and highlights the urgent need for increased awareness, normalizing discussions about mental health issues, and providing resources and support to students struggling with anxiety. Universities should identify and offer medical students effective anxiety relief techniques and promote a wellness culture that encourages healthy routines such as regular exercise, sufficient rest, and effective stress management. Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of different interventions in preventing and treating GAD among medical students and identify and address the barriers to accessing mental health care for medical students in Sudan.

Current prevalence and determinants of generalized anxiety disorder from a nationally representative, population-based survey of India.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the common anxiety disorders leading to impairment and burden. However, GAD remains the least studied anxiety disorder. There is a need for nationally representative epidemiological data of GAD to understand the current burden and plan the mental health policies and programs to attain their unmet needs. Hence, this study focuses on epidemiology, socio-demographic correlates, disability, and treatment gap of GAD from India's National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) 2016. NMHS 2016 was a nationally representative epidemiological survey of adult respondents from 12 states of India. NMHS is a multi-stage, stratified, random cluster sampling with random selection based on probability proportional to size at each stage. The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview 6.0.0 used to diagnose psychiatric disorders. Sheehan disability scale was used to assess the disability. The current weighted prevalence of GAD was estimated. Association between GAD and socio-demographic factors was done using Firth's penalized logistic regression. The treatment gap and disability in GAD also calculated. The current weighted prevalence of GAD is 0.57%. The male gender and higher education groups have significantly lesser odds with current GAD. Urban metro and the married group have significantly higher odds with current GAD. The most common comorbid psychiatric disorders are depression (15.8%) followed by agoraphobia (9.4%). Among respondents with current GAD in the past 6 months across three domains, around 2/5th has mild and moderate disability, 1/10th has a severe disability, and 1/20th has an extreme disability. The overall treatment gap of current GAD is 75.7%. NMHS 2016 has provided valuable insights into the epidemiology and burden of GAD among the general population. The available findings provide a glimpse of the current scenario in GAD to aid policymakers in targeting interventions.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Among University Students Due To COVID-19

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a common but urgent mental health problem during disease outbreaks. With the outbreak of COVID-19’s second wave, educational institutions were closed, and the students had to remain confined to online teaching[1]learning, which might create many psychological problems. This study assesses the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder among university youth students due to COVID-19. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 176 (response rate: 76.5%) university students studying at the Central Department of Education. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) questionnaire was used to assess anxiety disorder. Students were selected using a simple random sampling technique and sent the questionnaire link created in the Kobo toolbox to them requesting voluntary participation. The collected responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression to find the GAD prevalence and associated factors. A study found that 47.7% of university students had generalized anxiety disorder due to COVID-19. Older participants had a lower likelihood of anxiety disorder compared to those under 30 (OR 0.267). Buddhists had higher odds than Hindus (OR 5.237), and students in Bagmati and Lumbini Provinces had higher odds than those in Koshi Province (OR 8.116 and OR 6.086, respectively). Students not infected with COVID-19 had higher odds of anxiety disorder than infected students (OR 7.564), and those not vaccinated had higher odds than those vaccinated (OR 2.883). Taken together, age, religion, province of residence, COVID-19 vaccination status, and perceived risk due to COVID-19 played a role in determining the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder among students.

Validating repurposed GAD‐7 anchored in COVID‐19 pandemic experiences: A factor‐ and person‐centered approach

AbstractGeneralized Anxiety Disorder 7‐item Scale (GAD‐7) has been found to accurately assess the presence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in various populations. However, despite showing good psychometric properties in assessing GAD symptoms, there is a need to further validate GAD‐7 in milieu of the pandemic, considering that recent cross‐sectional studies have utilized this scale in understanding GAD prevalence and risk factors. The present study aimed to contextualize the GAD‐7 scale into the present condition through investigating its (1) factor structure, (2) measurement invariance, and (3) latent classes. This study utilized 1922 (63.4%) secondary and 1110 (36.6%) tertiary Filipino teachers. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the scale is best represented by two factors: cognitive–emotional experiences and somatic experiences. Moreover, the results revealed that while the two‐factor GAD model showed good measurement equivalence across teacher groups, measurement non‐invariance was observed in gender groups. Lastly, the latent class analysis yielded a three‐class solution best fitting to the data. It specifically grouped GAD symptom intensity as low, moderate, and severe anxiety groups. These findings provide evidence of the scale's validity, supporting the utilization of the GAD‐7 scale in assessing pandemic‐related generalized anxiety.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Generalized Anxiety Disorder During Covid19 Pandemic among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Facility in Edo State, Nigeria

Background: The potential risk of the Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the psychological challenges that accompanied the pandemic posed a major threat and evoked high levels of anxiety among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Nigeria. Thus, this study aimed to assess healthcare workers' perceived threat of COVID-19, determine the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) among respondents and elucidate the factors associated with GAD.&#x0D; Methods: A cross-sectional study that used the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) Scale, 8-item Perceived Threat Scale, and a socio-demographic data collection sheet was used to obtain information from eligible healthcare workers who were selected using a convenience sampling technique. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 21, at a statistical significance level of p &lt;0.05.&#x0D; Results: Two hundred and thirteen HCWs participated in the study. COVID-19 posed moderatesevere threats to 57.3% of the participants, and the prevalence of GAD among respondents was 25.4%. Having a moderate-severe perception of threat by COVID-19 (p=0.039), being unmarried (p= .026), being previously suspected to have COVID-19 (p=0.018) and being directly involved in the care of COVID-19 patients (p=0.031) were significantly associated with anxiety disorder after adjusting for other variables.&#x0D; Conclusion: COVID-19 posed a substantial threat to HCWs and the prevalence of GAD among the study group was high. Government, public health institutions and non-governmental organizations have the responsibility to practically demonstrate concern for the mental well-being of HCWs by investing in mental health resources and providing adequate physical, material and psychological support for HCWs to guarantee their well-being.

Prevalence of Generalized Anxiety Disorder among Medical Support Staff during COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: The pandemic COVID-19 not only caused grievous public health problems but also caused enormous psychological distress, especially among the medical support staff. These mental health issues leading to Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Ther is a lack of substantial data on psychological effects due to COVID pandemic on Bangladeshi medical health workers. This study aims to provide prevalence of GAD on Bangladeshi health workers Objective: The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder among medical support staff (Doctors &amp; Health Care Workers) in some hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic swept over Bangladesh recruited from Dhaka division. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to obtain Socio-demographic data using a semi structured to learn status of the COVID-19 pandemic in those hospitals and anxiety symptoms among those Docs/HCWS. Result: In this study of total 289 study populations majority (65.7%) were male and (34.3%) were female. With a mean age of 31.09±8.91 years. Majority of them (64.4%) used to work indoor, while 11.1% worked outdoors, 8.0% in emergency department and 16.6% in critical care unit (OT, ICU and HDU). Out of all those Docs/HCWS 51.2% use to be in direct contact with COVID-19 suspected patients feverish or infected, 48.8% did not. More than half of those Docs/HCWS participated less self-protection against COVID-19 of the (55.4%) Docs/HCWS had a little trust in infection control measures practised by the health care authority and just over half (52.2%) were worried on being infected with COVID-19. Among them, 73.4% lived with their family. Nearly 2/3rd of the participants or persons they were living with (64.7%), didn’t get infected by COVID-19. Among those who looked for COVID-19-related information, 59.6% spent at least 30 minutes daily. The majority of the respondents (58.0%) had minimal anxiety and others had variable levels of generalized anxiety disorder. Conclusion: Measures should be taken to overcome the obstacles to improve the betterment of the working status and service. The Journal of Ad-din Women's Medical College; Vol. 11 (2), July 2023; p 26-31

What is the Prevalence of General Anxiety Disorder and Depression Symptoms in Semi-elite Australian Football Players: A Cross-Sectional Study

BackgroundThe prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in semi-elite Australian footballers is unknown. The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and depressive symptoms in semi-elite Australian Football players. Our secondary objective was to explore the association between demographic and football-specific factors with GAD and depressive symptoms. A cross-sectional epidemiological study including 369 semi-elite Western Australian Football League (WAFL) players from the Men and Women’s 2022 season (n = 337 men, 91%) was conducted. Symptoms of depression were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scale (PHQ-9) and symptoms of GAD with the GAD-7 scale.ResultsOur response rate was 82.9%. Thirteen players had missing data. The prevalence of GAD symptoms was 8.5% in men and 28.6% in women (10% overall). The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 20% in men and 57% in women (23% overall). Being a woman (gender) was associated with a sevenfold increased risk of GAD and/or depression symptoms [odds ratio (OR): 7.33, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.18–16.92; p < 0.001]. Players of ‘Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander’ ethnicity were two times more likely to report GAD and/or depression symptoms in comparison to players of ‘Australian’ ethnicity (OR: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.01–4.49; p = 0.048). Concussion history was not a significant risk factor for GAD or depression symptoms.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that approximately 1 in 10 WAFL players met the diagnostic cut-off criteria for probable GAD, and 1 in 5 for probable depression. The prevalence for depression symptoms in this study were far higher than the national average in the comparative age bracket. WAFL women’s players also reported a substantially higher prevalence of GAD and depressive symptoms than men, and should be further investigated as a priority by the WAFL.

Generalized anxiety disorder in Brazilian undergraduate dental students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

Explore the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and associated factors in undergraduate dental students during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Cross-sectional study. A semi-structured questionnaire addressing the variables of interest was shared with dental students between July 8 and 27 2020. The outcome was determined using the seven-item generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7) scale. A 'positive' diagnosis was defined as a total of ≥10 points on the scale. Statistical analysis involved descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses, with the significance level set at 5%. Among the 1050 students evaluated, 53.8% had a positive diagnosis for GAD. The multivariate analysis revealed that the prevalence of symptoms was higher among individuals who resided with more than three people, those enrolled at teaching institutions that suspended all clinical and laboratory activities, those who did not have an adequate home situation to maintain distance learning, those who had been diagnosed with COVID-19, those who felt anxious about having to see patients with a suspicion or diagnosis of COVID-19 and those who preferred to interrupt in-person academic activities until the population is vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus. The prevalence of GAD was high. Aspects related to the composition and organization of the home, the suspension of academic activities, a history of COVID-19 contamination, feelings of anxiety in providing dental care to patients with symptoms/suspected of COVID-19 infection and the preference to interrupt in-person academic activities until the population is vaccinated for COVID-19 were factors predisposing the students to anxiety during the first wave of the pandemic.

Physical and mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic at first year in a Spanish adult cohort

The COVID-19 pandemic and the political and health measures have profoundly affected the health of our populations. However, very few studies have been published assessing its impact using a prospective cohort. The aim of this study is to describe the impact on physical and mental health due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the general population in Spain, and according to COVID-19 clinical status, during the first year of the pandemic. A longitudinal cohort study with two online surveys were performed on a representative sample of the adult Spanish population before (N = 2005, October/November 2019) and during the pandemic (N = 1357, November/December 2020). We assessed disability using the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS), major depressive episode (MDE) and suicidal thoughts and behaviours (STB), using an adapted version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0); generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) using the GAD-7 scale; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms using the PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). For physical health, there was a statistically significant loss of weight (mean/SD) (T0, 73.22/15.56 vs. T1, 71.21/11.94), less use of tobacco (T0, 11.4% vs. T1, 9.0%) and decreased disability (mean/SD) (T0, 21.52/9.22 vs. T1, 19.03/7.32). For mental health, there was a significant increase in MDE (T0, 6.5% vs. T1, 8.8%) and in the prevalence of GAD (T0, 13.7% vs. T1, 17.7%). The prevalence of STB (T0, 15.1% vs. T1, 7.1%) significantly decreased. Individuals who declared they had been diagnosed with COVID-19 (3.6%) showed a worsening in physical health and an increase in mental health problems and PTSD symptoms. Although suicide risk during the first year of the pandemic was significantly less, many suicide risk factors increased: such as the incidence and persistence of MDE and GAD, the presence of PTSD symptoms in those diagnosed with COVID-19, and a worsening in self-assessed health status. We expect an increase in STB in the population in the long-term. Future research should gather information about the long-term impact of the pandemic.

General Anxiety Disorder and Primary Hypertension: Is There a Link?

Chronic forms of morbidity, including mental disorders and hypertension, play a dominant role in determining a disease load in the developing world. This article investigates the associations between the diagnoses of primary hypertension and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and the severity of GAD in individuals with primary hypertension. The association of GAD and age, sex, marriage, education level, income, chronic medical conditions, family history of mental disorders, adverse life events, and hypertension was assessed in 470 patients with the diagnosis of primary hypertension. Data analysis was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics software version 16. A significant relationship was found between the prevalence of GAD and the following variables: history of mental disorders ( p < 0.0001), chronic medical conditions ( p < 0.0001), and adverse life events ( p < 0.0001). The mean anxiety score was higher among patients with uncontrolled blood pressure, and a significant relationship was observed between the prevalence of GAD and blood pressure ( p < 0.0001). Because of the significant association between GAD and primary hypertension, it is recommended that anxiety disorders be considered in patients in whom primary hypertension is not controlled easily. This may lead to more proper control of hypertension while taking fewer antihypertensive medications.

Outcomes of Gastroparesis in Hospitalized Patients With Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Background Gastroparesis is a common gastrointestinal pathology that has been increasing in prevalence and represents a significant cost to the United States healthcare system. Gastroparesis is associated with psychological dysfunction, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). GAD is known to be a prevalent and chronic manifestation of anxiety, which has been increasing in prevalence since the year 2020. Despite the association between gastroparesis and GAD, there has been limited research on the possible impact GAD may have on the morbidity and mortality of patients hospitalized for gastroparesis, which is further evaluated in this study. Methods Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from the year 2014, a retrospective study was conducted to assess the outcomes of hospitalized gastroparesis patients with and without a history of GAD. In this study, the analyzed outcomes included acute kidney injury (AKI), acute respiratory failure, sepsis, acute deep vein thrombosis, myocardial infarction, intestinal obstruction, and inpatient mortality. To assess whether GAD is an independent risk factor for the outcomes, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was used. Results There were 22,150 patients with gastroparesis assessed in this study; GAD was found to be a comorbid diagnosis in 4,196 of those patients. In the GAD cohort, there was an elevated risk for AKI (adjusted odds ratio 1.24, p < 0.001). The adjusted odds ratios for acute respiratory failure, sepsis, acute deep vein thrombosis, myocardial infarction, intestinal obstruction, and inpatient mortality did not meet the threshold for statistical significance. Conclusion In hospitalized gastroparesis patients, GAD is a risk factor for AKI. This finding may be attributed to prerenal azotemia due to an increased risk of nausea and vomiting associated with GAD, as well as the medications used to treat GAD such as escitalopram and duloxetine. In addition, the dual inflammatory states caused by the co-existence of both GAD and gastroparesis may also have a role in increasing the risk for AKI. The results of this study may become increasingly relevant given the increasing prevalence of GAD. .

Prevalence of Antenatal Anxiety in European Women: A Literature Review.

The presence of anxiety during pregnancy is associated with adverse consequences for both mothers and their babies. The aim of this study was to review the prevalence of anxiety in European pregnant women in order to find out which countries have published the most studies in respect to the presence of anxiety during pregnancy, which countries are the most and least prevalent in terms of anxiety within pregnant women, and which are the most common tools used to assess anxiety during this stage. As such, a literature review was conducted regarding the studies that were published in the last twenty years in the PsycInfo, Medline, and SCOPUS databases. Thirty-eight studies were selected for the purposes of this review. The prevalence of anxiety in pregnancy and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) varies considerably between studies. The European countries that have carried out the most research on this issue are Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The most widely used assessment instrument is the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The lowest prevalence rate of anxiety, using the STAI-E, was found in Poland, 7.7%, and the highest was found in Italy, 36.5%. The prevalence of GAD ranges from 0.3% to 10.8%. This indicates that anxiety in pregnant women is a very relevant mental health problem. It is therefore important to detect and intervene early in order to promote the well-being of both mothers and children.

Depression and Anxiety in Medical Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Medical students are prone to anxiety and depression, largely due to the nature of their coursework. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many medical students were required to study from home without being involved in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to investigate depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), plus possible risk factors in medical students around the world during the pandemic. A primary search was conducted using PubMed, limited to the period 2020–2021. A second search was conducted to acquire studies published before the pandemic, aiming to have a baseline prevalence value for these disorders in medical students. During the pandemic, the prevalence of depression in the USA (31.7%, 12.5%, and 10.8% for mild, moderate, and severe depression, respectively) was higher than the reported prevalence in Pakistan, Nepal, and Iran, although the four countries used different psychiatric instruments, making comparison difficult (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, Self-rating Depression Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression [HADS-D], and Beck Depression Inventory [BDI-II). The prevalence of GAD in the USA was also higher (35.3%, 19.5%, and 11.1%, for mild, moderate, and severe GAD) than the prevalence in China (21.3%, 2.7%, and 0.9%, for mild, moderate, and severe anxiety), and the overall prevalence in Brazil, (46.2%), using the same instrument (GAD-7). The prevalence of GAD in the USA was also higher than the prevalence in Nepal, Pakistan, and Iran, although the researchers used a different psychiatric instrument (HADS-A, Self-rating Anxiety Scale, and Beck Anxiety Inventory instruments, respectively). Before the pandemic, the reported prevalence of depression in the USA was lower (11.6%, 9.0%, and 3.0% for mild, moderate, and severe depression), than in Pakistan (31.0%, 13.6%, and 4.8%), using the BDI instrument. In Nepal, the prevalence of depression (5.2%) was higher than in Portugal (2.3%), ascertained with the HADS-D instrument. The prevalence in Egypt (65% using Depression Anxiety Stress Scale DASS-21]) and India (14.7%, 19%, and 17.5% mild, moderate, and severe depression, using DASS 42) were the highest prevalence values reported before the pandemic. For anxiety, the prevalence of overall GAD in Nepal (16.2%) was comparable to the one reported in Portugal (14.2%), both identified with the HADS-A instrument. The prevalence of GAD reported in India and in Egypt were the highest values, determined with the DASS 42 and DASS 21, respectively. Studies have reported that general social isolation and loneliness are risk factors contributing factors toward depression. Other risk factors identified with depression and/or anxiety disorders were being female, having a lower GPA, lower COVID-19 awareness, and having more experience with COVID symptoms. High prevalence of depression and GAD was identified in medical students in various countries. It is imperative that during any crisis such as the one experienced in the present COVID-19 pandemic, vulnerable populations to mental health disorders, such as medical students, are identified and supported. Further research needs to be done to explore other possible factors, such as living conditions, marital status, social-cultural influences, financial issues, and their relationship to depression and anxiety in this population, to further understand the best interventions to support this population.