Impact of Late-Life Anxiety Disorders
Late-life anxiety has a significant impact in terms of health care costs because it is often comorbid with physical problems for older adults, leading to multiple investigations and hospitalizations. Anxiety disorders as a primary cause for hospitalization increase exponentially with age, as do health care costs related to anxiety disorders; the annual U.S. health care costs due to late-life anxiety disorders in 1990 was estimated to be $42.3 billion.[7] Anxiety disorders also result in high costs to patients in hospital and in the primary care setting as they are associated with increased depression, decreased quality of life, reduced perceptions of physical and mental health and vitality, greater physical disability, poor quality of life, increased comorbidity, and increased use of health services.[8]
Geriatrics and Aging. 2008;11(3):150-156. © 2008 1453987 Ontario, Ltd.
Cite this: The Silent Geriatric Giant: Anxiety Disorders in Late Life - Medscape - Apr 01, 2008.
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