Longitudinal trends in self-reported anxiety. Effects of age and birth cohort during 25 years
Abstract Background Anxiety has been suggested to increase among young individuals, but previous studies on longitudinal trends are inconclusive. The aim of this study was to analyze longitudinally, the changes over time of prevalence of self-reported anxiety in the Swedish population between 1980/1...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2017-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-017-1277-3 |
| _version_ | 1828337671949254656 |
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| author | Susanna Calling Patrik Midlöv Sven-Erik Johansson Kristina Sundquist Jan Sundquist |
| author_facet | Susanna Calling Patrik Midlöv Sven-Erik Johansson Kristina Sundquist Jan Sundquist |
| author_sort | Susanna Calling |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Anxiety has been suggested to increase among young individuals, but previous studies on longitudinal trends are inconclusive. The aim of this study was to analyze longitudinally, the changes over time of prevalence of self-reported anxiety in the Swedish population between 1980/1981 and 2004/2005, in different birth cohorts and age groups. Methods A random sample of non-institutionalized persons aged 16–71 years was interviewed every eighth year. Self-reported anxiety was assessed using the question” Do you suffer from nervousness, uneasiness, or anxiety?” (no; yes, mild; yes, severe). Mixed models with random intercepts were used to estimate changes in rates of anxiety (mild or severe) within different age groups and birth cohorts and in males and females separately. In addition to three time-related variables – year of interview, age at the time of the interview, and year of birth –the following explanatory variables were included: education, urbanization, marital status, smoking, leisure time physical activity and body mass index. Results Overall prevalence of self-reported anxiety increased from 8.0 to 12.4% in males and from 17.8% to 23.6% in females, during the 25-year follow-up period. The increasing trend was found in all age groups except in the oldest age groups, and the highest increase was found in young adults 16–23 years, with more than a three-fold increase in females, and a 2.5-fold increase in males, after adjustments for covariates. Conclusions Between 1980/81 and 2004/05, there was an increasing prevalence of self-reported anxiety in all age groups except in the oldest, which indicates increased suffering for a large part of the population, and probably an increased burden on the health care system. Clinical efforts should focus particularly on young females (16–23 years), where the increase was particularly large; almost one third experienced anxiety at the end of the 25-year follow-up. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T22:17:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4ca79b33110d48f683a0f0c8767d94ad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T22:17:17Z |
| publishDate | 2017-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-4ca79b33110d48f683a0f0c8767d94ad2022-12-22T02:27:25ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2017-04-0117111110.1186/s12888-017-1277-3Longitudinal trends in self-reported anxiety. Effects of age and birth cohort during 25 yearsSusanna Calling0Patrik Midlöv1Sven-Erik Johansson2Kristina Sundquist3Jan Sundquist4Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund UniversityDepartment of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund UniversityDepartment of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund UniversityDepartment of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund UniversityDepartment of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund UniversityAbstract Background Anxiety has been suggested to increase among young individuals, but previous studies on longitudinal trends are inconclusive. The aim of this study was to analyze longitudinally, the changes over time of prevalence of self-reported anxiety in the Swedish population between 1980/1981 and 2004/2005, in different birth cohorts and age groups. Methods A random sample of non-institutionalized persons aged 16–71 years was interviewed every eighth year. Self-reported anxiety was assessed using the question” Do you suffer from nervousness, uneasiness, or anxiety?” (no; yes, mild; yes, severe). Mixed models with random intercepts were used to estimate changes in rates of anxiety (mild or severe) within different age groups and birth cohorts and in males and females separately. In addition to three time-related variables – year of interview, age at the time of the interview, and year of birth –the following explanatory variables were included: education, urbanization, marital status, smoking, leisure time physical activity and body mass index. Results Overall prevalence of self-reported anxiety increased from 8.0 to 12.4% in males and from 17.8% to 23.6% in females, during the 25-year follow-up period. The increasing trend was found in all age groups except in the oldest age groups, and the highest increase was found in young adults 16–23 years, with more than a three-fold increase in females, and a 2.5-fold increase in males, after adjustments for covariates. Conclusions Between 1980/81 and 2004/05, there was an increasing prevalence of self-reported anxiety in all age groups except in the oldest, which indicates increased suffering for a large part of the population, and probably an increased burden on the health care system. Clinical efforts should focus particularly on young females (16–23 years), where the increase was particularly large; almost one third experienced anxiety at the end of the 25-year follow-up.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-017-1277-3AnxietyLongitudinal studiesAge factorsCohort effect |
| spellingShingle | Susanna Calling Patrik Midlöv Sven-Erik Johansson Kristina Sundquist Jan Sundquist Longitudinal trends in self-reported anxiety. Effects of age and birth cohort during 25 years BMC Psychiatry Anxiety Longitudinal studies Age factors Cohort effect |
| title | Longitudinal trends in self-reported anxiety. Effects of age and birth cohort during 25 years |
| title_full | Longitudinal trends in self-reported anxiety. Effects of age and birth cohort during 25 years |
| title_fullStr | Longitudinal trends in self-reported anxiety. Effects of age and birth cohort during 25 years |
| title_full_unstemmed | Longitudinal trends in self-reported anxiety. Effects of age and birth cohort during 25 years |
| title_short | Longitudinal trends in self-reported anxiety. Effects of age and birth cohort during 25 years |
| title_sort | longitudinal trends in self reported anxiety effects of age and birth cohort during 25 years |
| topic | Anxiety Longitudinal studies Age factors Cohort effect |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-017-1277-3 |
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