A study on the prevalence and associated risk factors for anxiety among geriatric population in Bangladesh

Abstract

Anxiety is considered the most prevalent psychological disorder among various mental health conditions across all age groups, including the geriatric population. The objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and identify the associated risk factors influencing anxiety in older adults aged 60 and above living in urban and rural settings using standardized evaluation tools. The study used the GAD-7 scale on 396 elderly individuals, which is a seven-item instrument designed to assess the severity of anxiety. The prevalence of anxiety was 88% among the elderly individuals who exhibited mild (48.5%), moderate (34.3%), severe (5.3%) symptoms of anxiety. Additionally, the study focuses on evaluating anxiety levels in relation to demographic variables including age, BMI range, sex, living area, marital status, living status, educational level, profession, economic condition, smoking habit and the presence of chronic diseases. The outcome will create a systematic understanding of the disease burden and associated risks of anxiety disorders, which will serve as the basis for focused public policy on mental health at the national, regional, and international levels.