Topline
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released a recommendation Tuesday that all adults under 65 should be regularly screened for anxiety disorders—even those without symptoms—as the country battles a “mental health crisis.”
Anxiety disorders are estimated to impact about 40 million adults in the U.S. annually, and the … [+]
Key Facts
The recommendation applies to all adults younger than 65, but the task force specifically called out postpartum and pregnant women among those needing to be screened.
The panel said anxiety disorders are often missed without regular screening in the primary care setting—which causes “years-long delays in treatment”—and there was no evidence of harm being caused by regular screening.
Although anxiety can impact people 65 and older, the task force found there was “limited evidence on the benefits and harms” of screening that age group, so the recommendation was limited to younger adults.
The task force was also studying whether to recommend suicide screening for adults, but determined there wasn’t enough evidence on whether screening those “without recognized signs or symptoms” would help prevent suicide.
The task force already recommended all adults be screened regularly for depression, and is continuing that recommendation.
Big Number
40 million. That’s how many adults in the United States suffer from an anxiety disorder, equating to about 19.1% of the population, according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America.
Crucial Quote
“Fortunately, screening all adults for depression, including those who are pregnant and postpartum, and screening adults younger than 65 for anxiety disorders is effective in identifying these conditions so adults can receive the care they need,” said task force vice chair Dr. Michael Silverstein, adding the U.S. is in a “mental health crisis.”
Key Background
In recent years, multiple studies found anxiety in the United States—and worldwide—increased, in part due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2022, the World Health Organization released a study showing that in the first year of the pandemic, anxiety and depression increased globally by 25%. Anxiety disorders can look a number of different ways, like generalized anxiety disorder or social anxiety disorder, but the task force said all forms tend to make people experience “excessive fear or worry that interferes with normal activities.” The task force issued the recommendation with a “B” grade, meaning they recommend the service because of “high certainty that the net benefit is moderate” or “moderate certainty that the net benefit is moderate to substantial.”
Further Reading
Final Recommendation Statements on Screening for Anxiety Disorders, Depression, and Suicide Risk in Adults (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force)
All adults under 65 should be screened for anxiety, health panel says (NBC News)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2023/06/20/all-adults-under-65-should-be-tested-regularly-for-anxiety-us-health-panel-recommends-for-first-time/