Unfavorable health conditions associated with high social anxiety in the elderly: a community-based study

There is little knowledge concerning unfavorable health conditions (UHC) associated with high level of social phobia/anxiety symptoms (SPAS) in the elderly.

This cross-sectional community-based study examines five categories of UHC related to high SPAS in individuals aged 75/76 years compared with controls with lower SPAS.

The study was based on data from the Oslo Health Study. Based on self-rating of the MINI-SPIN screening instrument, 246 individuals (9%) had high SPAS (cases) and 2464 (91%) had lower SPAS (controls). The socio-demographic, somatic, lifestyle, social and mental categories of UHC were compared between cases and controls.

A significantly higher proportion of cases were in non-paired relationships, had low level of education and low income compared with controls. Among cases, a significantly higher proportion had poor self-rated health, more somatic morbidity, regular use of analgesics and frequent drinking. All indicators of social UHC, except low community activism, were significantly more common among cases compared with controls. Except for use of hypnotics, the same was true for the indicators of mental UHC. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the socio-demographic, somatic, social and mental UHC steps were significantly associated with high SPAS.

Individuals aged 75/76 years with high level of SPAS showed multiple UHC within several areas. Identification and interventions like exposure and though modification geared at such anxiety should be considered.