Term Paper on "Anxiety Disorders in Older People at 6-Year"

Term Paper 8 pages (2223 words) Sources: 3 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

anxiety disorders in older people at 6-year follow-Up results from Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam

The objective of Schuurman et al.'s (2005) study was an examination of the long-term consequences of late-life anxiety disorders and patient's utilization of mental health care services. To address these areas, the researchers interviewed a group of subjects, over the age of 55, that had an anxiety disorder, identified in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam.

The rate of persistence and prognostic factors for persistence of anxiety were established, at a 6-year follow up study. It was discovered that patients with a high incidence of neuroticism were at a greater risk of anxiety persistence, despite efforts to enhance appropriate referral of older adults suffering from anxiety.

This report summarizes the Schuurman et al.'s research study's content. It begins with a brief description of the abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, and Schuurman et al.'s conclusions. This report will also include the main points of the study and then conclude with this author's personal reactions to the research findings.

Summary of "The outcome of anxiety disorders in older people at 6-year follow-up results from Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam"

Introduction:

The objective of Schuurman et al.'s (2005) study was an examination of the long-term consequences of late-life anxiety disorders and patient's utilization of mental health care services. To address these areas, the researchers interviewed a group of subjects, over the age of 55, that had an anxiety disorder, identified in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam.

The rate of persistence and prognostic factors for persistence of anxiety were established, at a 6-year follow up study. It was discovered that patients with a high incidence of neuroticism were at a greater risk of anxiety persistence, despite efforts to enhance appropriate referral of older adults suffering from anxiety.

This report summarizes the Schuurman et al.'s research study's content. It begins with a brief description of the abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, and Schuurman et al.'s conclusions. This report will also include the main points of the study and then conclude with this author's personal reactions to the research findings.

Brief Description of the Abstract:

The abstract of the report briefly describes the four primary components of the research, including the: objective, method, results, and conclusion. Each category is described succinctly, most often with one or two sentences, with only the results being described with a short paragraph.

The title was effective as the independent and dependent variables were identifiable, as the outcome of anxiety disorders and older adult patients. This very brief synopsis gives the reader an extremely abbreviated overview of what is included in the report, without going into any significant level of detail. This abstract merely tells readers that by utilizing 112 participants in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, over the age of 55, and a 6-year follow up study, it was discovered that patients highly neurotic had a greater risk of anxiety, despite referral efforts (Schuurman et al., 2005).

Brief Description of the Introduction:

The researchers begin their study based on the fact that more numerous studies have been conducted focusing on depression in older adults, while ignoring the occurrence of anxiety disorder.

The authors demonstrate this gap in currently available research, by noting that although there is a commonly held belief that mood disorders are more common than anxiety disorders in geriatric patients, "anxiety disorders are in fact more common in older adults than depression and dysthymia" (Schuurman et al., 2005), citing the fact that an estimated 10% of older adults suffer from anxiety disorders, which is comparable to mood disorders. Schuurman et al. note that anxiety negatively affects an older adult's quality of life. In addition, anxiety is associated with a greater incidence of non-mental health care, even when the health status of patients was controlled for. Furthermore, although studies have been performed on younger populations, regarding the waxing and waning of anxiety symptoms, as well as spontaneous remission rates, no data has been collected regarding older adults specifically.

Schuurman et al. (2005) state that although older adults have shown an increased use of health care services, over recent years, referrals to mental health care treatment is rare. Instead, these patients often go untreated and many unrecognized.

Their study reports on anxiety and the use of mental health care services, after a 6-year follow-up period.

Brief Description of Method:

The method section of the study described clearly the sample, measures, prognostic factors, and statistical analysis. Data was retrieved from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. Schuurman et al. chose a random sample that was stratified on age and sex. These respondents were chosen from the population registers of 11 municipalities, in three regions in the Netherlands.

The Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam was conducted between September 1992 and September 1993, with 3,107 subjects enrolled.

In the end, 112 subjects were chosen that met the criteria for having an anxiety disorder within the last 6 months, prior to the interview. No exclusions were made for those subjects with comorbid depression.

For the 6-year follow up study, 50 participants were lost due to: death, refusal to participate, illness, cognitive impairment, or migration.

In the study, the researchers used DSM-III criteria to define anxiety disorders and the DIS as a means to assess these disorders. Four types of anxiety disorders were distinguished. These included: generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobic disorders.

In order to discriminate between those with subsyndromal anxiety from those with no relevant anxiety symptoms, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-a) was utilized (Schuurman et al., 2005).

Six groups of prognostic factors were identified. These included: demographic variables, illness severity, variables regarding physical health and functioning, social support, personality characteristics, treatment and life changes. Age, sex, socio-economic status, education level, and marital status were all used as demographic variables.

Chronic disease presence in participants was detected by asking the participants if they suffered from diseases such as: cardiac disease, peripheral arthrosclerosis, stroke, diabetes, pulmonary disease, and more. Personality characteristics included mastery, self-efficacy, neuroticism, and social inadequacy, as measured by the Dutch Personality Inventoryc.

Schuurman et al., (2005) conducted both 3- and 6-year follow up interviews to determine whether or not stressful life events had occurred during the time period between then and the previous interview. Stressful events included a variety of events, including: partner illness, partner death, relative illness or death, a major conflict with others, loss of income, crime victimization, relocation, development of a chronic disease, increased functional limitations, and cognitive decline.

In addition, participants were questioned about recent visits to physicians, health care services, paramedical services, formal social support, and hospital admissions.

Brief Description of Results:

The researchers discuss the follow up participation results as well as the association of persistent anxiety results, in this section.

Loss to follow-up was associated with higher age, male sex, more chronic diseases, more functional limitations and a lower level of cognitive functioning. Loss to follow-up was not associated with a higher score on anxiety or depressive symptoms at baseline" (Schuurman et al., 2005). Thirteen percent of participants had an anxiety disorder, at the 6-year follow up interview. Twenty-six percent suffered from subsyndromal anxiety, while another 17% of participants were in full remission from anxiety. Of the initial subjects, 29% were deceased at follow-up, 7% refused to participate, 7% could not participate due to illness or cognitive impairment, and 2% could not be reached due to migration. With this in mind, 23% had a persistent outcome of anxiety. Forty-seven percent of participants were in partial remission. and, 31% of participants were in full remission of anxiety. Anxiety disorders were not categorized into subtypes, due to the small sample size.

Schuurman et al.'s (2005) results showed that many of the factors they controlled for did not have an effect on persistent anxiety. Partial remission of anxiety was associated with lower socio-economic status; however not persistent anxiety.

When the researchers controlled for gender, the association between partial remission and socio-economic status was not longer significant. Age, sex and marital status was not found to be associated with the outcome of anxiety. In addition, physical health, social functioning, psychosocial symptoms, social inadequacy, mastery, self-efficacy, treatment, and life events were not found to be associated with the outcome of anxiety as well. The only variable of significance affecting the outcome of anxiety was discovered in the personality characteristic of neuroticism, hen the researchers controlled for differences in age, gender, chronic diseases, and severity of anxiety.

Brief Description of Discussion:

In the discussion section of the research study, Schuurman et al. (2005) discuss their research. They reiterate that they had examined the outcome of anxiety disorders, following a 6-year follow up period, and what prognostic factors were related, in older adults.

The researchers assert that this is the first study to investigate the long-term outcome of anxiety disorders in older adults. The researchers also aimed to establish whether or not subjects with persistent anxiety were receiving appropriate care and medication, due to the low level of mental health care services utilized by… READ MORE

How to Reference "Anxiety Disorders in Older People at 6-Year" Term Paper in a Bibliography

Related Term Papers:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Term Paper

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Ever since Mick Jagger wrote about "mother's little helpers,' much of the population has viewed medications as the instant cure for such modern-day maladies as Generalized Anxiety… read more

Term Paper 10 pages (2885 words) Sources: 1+ Topic: Psychology / Behavior / Psychiatry

---

Anxiety Disorders Thesis

anxiety disorders have been increasingly cited by healthcare practitioners as being one of the most serious health problems, exceeding even physical medical conditions, facing adolescents and young adults in the… read more

Thesis 14 pages (4060 words) Sources: 15 Topic: Psychology / Behavior / Psychiatry

---

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder PTSD Term Paper

PTSD

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a condition from which nearly 10% of Americans suffer from. PTSD, unlike other afflictions, is associated with a wide variety of circumstances. Many war veterans… read more

Term Paper 5 pages (1410 words) Sources: 7 Style: APA Topic: Psychology / Behavior / Psychiatry

---

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD Term Paper

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder



Theories of child development and guidelines for parents are not cast in stone.



They are constantly changing and adapting to… read more

Term Paper 17 pages (6369 words) Sources: 10 Style: APA Topic: Child Development / Youth / Teens

---

Etiology of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Disorder Term Paper

Supranuclear Palsy

A discussion of the neurological etiology of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Disorder

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) is an unusual neurodegenerative situation that leads to severe executive dysfunction. The traditional… read more

Term Paper 5 pages (1743 words) Sources: 10 Style: APA Topic: Disease / Virus / Disorder / Injury

---

View 100+ more related papers  >>