Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41514081›Full record

ArticleSocial psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology2026

Global, regional, and national burdens of anxiety disorders among older adults, 1990-2021: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2021.

Yang Deng, Wenqing Cai, Qiqi Chen, Xin Yang, Hui Yang, Yunning Hu, Yubao Zhao, Haibo Chen, Guoping Li, Kai Yuan

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Article in Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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2 citing papers in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

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10 authors.

Yang Deng *School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China. dengyang3417@126.com.
Wenqing Cai *School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Qiqi Chen *Department of Paediatrics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai'an, Shandong, China.
Xin YangSchool of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Hui YangSchool of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Yunning HuSchool of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Yubao ZhaoDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai'an, Shandong, China.
Haibo ChenInterventional Radiology Department, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai'an, Shandong, China.
Guoping LiDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology and Head-Neck Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai'an, Shandong, China. li18660869705@163.com.
Kai YuanPeking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China. yuankai@pku.edu.cn.

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China 2023YFC2506800National Natural Science Foundation of China 82204111Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province ZR2024MH198
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo assess the burden of anxiety disorders in the elderly and temporal trends at global, regional, and national levels during 1990-2021.

methodsData on incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of anxiety disorders in the elderly over 60 years old were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Average annual percentage changes were determined to analyze the trends in age-standardized rates between 1990 and 2021. Correlation between age-standardized rates and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) was assessed using Spearman's rank-correlation analysis. We used a meta-regression model to estimate the incidence, prevalence, and DALY rates before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

resultsIn 2021, 4.49 million incident cases, 53.07 million prevalent cases, and 5.83 million DALYs were estimated in the elderly worldwide. The age-standardized incidence rate of anxiety disorders in older adults increased slightly, while prevalence and DALY rates remained stable. Middle SDI regions had the highest number of incident cases, prevalent cases, and DALYs, with the highest age-standardized prevalence and DALY rates in high SDI regions. Age-standardized prevalence and DALY rates of anxiety disorders were higher among elderly women than men. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence rate of anxiety disorders among older adults rose by 7.82%, while prevalence and DALY rates increased by approximately 6%.

conclusionOver the past three decades, the increasing burden of anxiety disorders among older adults has significantly added to the global mental health challenges. This burden is intensified by socioeconomic factors, especially in middle SDI regions, and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indexed as

Anxiety DisordersCOVID-19Global Burden of DiseaseGlobal HealthAgedAged, 80 and overCost of IllnessDisability-Adjusted Life YearsFemaleHumansIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedPrevalenceSARS-CoV-2Anxiety disordersDisease burdenOlder adultsSociodemographic indexTemporal trends

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