[Anxiety disorders among patients hospitalized in a medical ward]

Anxiety symptoms and anxiety disorders are common among medical patients, however few studies differentiate both and consider the psychiatric comorbidity of anxiety disorders among such patients.

To evaluate the presence of anxiety disorders among patients admitted to a medical ward.

Random selection of 406 patients (mean age 56 years, 203 female), hospitalized in a medical ward of a public hospital, mainly for cardiovascular, genitourinary and digestive diseases. All were assessed using an structured interview for DSM-III-R.

Twenty six percent of women and 13% of men had anxiety disorders. Fifteen percent of women and 6% of men had specific phobias, 7% of women and 4% of men had generalized anxiety, 5% of women and 0.5% of men had agoraphobia, 3% of women and 0.5% of men had social phobia, 1% of men and 0.5% of women had panic disorders and 0.5% of women had a post traumatic stress. Specific phobias and social phobias started during childhood. Anxiety and agoraphobia started during adulthood. Among patients with anxiety disorders, 43% of women and 34% of men did not have other psychiatric ailment, 34% of women and 19% of men had an associated depression and 34% of men had disorders due to use of alcohol.

A high proportion of patients hospitalized in medical wards have anxiety disorders, that once identified it may help to treat the medical ailments.