The prevalence of anxiety in older adults: Methodological issues and a review of the literature

Abstract

Background: Despite the relative neglect of anxiety in older adults, the growing literature on its prevalence suggests that anxiety is highly prevalent and associated with considerable distress and morbidity in this age group. This review provides a comprehensive overview of this literature and discusses some unresolved controversies in the field. Methods: A systematic search of articles published from 1980-2007 was performed. Articles were included for review if they reported the prevalence of anxiety symptoms, anxiety disorder or specified anxiety disorders in adults aged > 60 in either community or clinical settings. Results: The prevalence of anxiety in community samples ranges from 1.2%..