FEELINGS OF ANXIETY AND ASSOCIATED VARIABLES IN A VERY ELDERLY POPULATION

Objective. Anxiety disorders have been reported to decrease with age, while anxiety feelings have been reported to be as common as in younge r age groups. In order to further explore this relationship and variab les associated with anxiety, a population of very elderly persons was examined, Methods. 966 persons, aged 78 years and over, underwent an e xamination by a physician including a structured psychiatric interview . Results. Anxiety feelings an strongly associated with psychiatric di sturbances (anxiety disorders and depressive disorders). Moreover, the feelings were associated with dementia, a history of psychiatric diso rders (most often depression), being female and being dissatisfied wit h social network. Few of those with a psychiatric disorder were adequa tely treated, in spite of the fact that most of them had seen a physic ian during the past month. Conclusions. After excluding an anxiety dis order, one of the most important things to consider in a very old pers on with anxiety is whether depression is present or not. Generally, th ere is a need for more education of physicians concerning the common m ental disorders in the elderly in order to improve their management. ( C) 1998 John Wiley gr Sons, Ltd.