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Anxiety and the risk of death in older men and women

Hein P J van Hout¹, Aartjan T F Beekman, Edwin de Beurs

¹Department of General Practice, Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine, VU University Medical Centre, Van der Boechorststraat 7,1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Hpj.vanhout@vumc.nl.

The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science

|November 2, 2004

Abstract

Background:

There are inconsistent reports as to whether people with anxiety disorders have a higher mortality risk.

Aims:

To determine whether anxiety disorders predict mortality in older men and women in the community.

Method:

Longitudinal data were used from a large, community-based random sample (n=3107) of older men and women (55-85 years) in The Netherlands, with a follow-up period of 7.5 years. Anxiety disorders were assessed according to DSM-III criteria in a two-stage screening design.

Results:

In men, the adjusted mortality risk was 1.78 (95% CI 1.01-3.13) in cases with diagnosed anxiety disorders at baseline. In women, no significant association was found with mortality.

Conclusions:

The study revealed a gender difference in the association between anxiety and mortality. For men, but not for women, an increased mortality risk was found for anxiety disorders.

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