Anxiety Disorders, Trauma- and Stress-Related Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, and Sleep-Wake Disorders

Women are more likely than men to meet lifetime criteria for an anxiety disorder. Moreover, anxiety is a risk factor for the development of other psychiatric conditions, including major depression. Numerous studies have identified evidence of sex differences in anxiety disorders, and there is considerable research concerning factors that may contribute to vulnerability for anxiety in females. In addition to psychosocial influences, biological components such as the female reproductive hormone cycle have also been implicated. Although psychotropic medication is more likely to be prescribed to women, there is little controlled data available concerning sex differences in the efficacy and/or tolerability of pharmacotherapy in anxiety disorders. This chapter provides an overview of the impact of gender in the epidemiology, phenomenology, course, and treatment response in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder (PD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

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The Prevalence of Comorbid Anxiety in Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder and Bipolar Disorder

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.3109/00048679809062708 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 67-72 ◽

Cited By ~ 132

Author(s):

Susan J. Cosoff ◽

R. Julian Hafner

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Anxiety Disorders ◽

Schizoaffective Disorder ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Psychotic Episode ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

General Anxiety ◽

Admission Rates ◽

Clinical Benefits

Objective: The aim of this study to determine the prevalence of anxiety disorders in publically treated psychiatric inpatients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder. Method: Using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID), 100 consecutive inpatients with a psychotic disorder were examined for the presence or absence of an anxiety disorder. Questionnaire measures of phobias, obsessive-compulsive and general anxiety symptoms were also applied. Results: The prevalences of social phobia (17%), obsessiv-ompulsive disorder (13%) and generalised anxiety disorder in schizophrenia were relatively high, as were prevalences of obsessive-compulsive (30%) and panic disorder (15%) in bipolar disorder. The proportion of subjects with an anxiety disorder (4345%) was almost identical across the three psychoses, with some evidence of gender differences. Although self-ratings of overall psychiatric symptoms were significantly elevated in those with anxiety disorders, hospital admission rates were not. Conclusions: Almost none of those with anxíeGty disorders were being treated for them, primarily because the severity of the acute psychotic illness required full diagnostic and therapeutic attention. Patients were generally discharged as soon as their psychotic episode was resolved, with little recognition of the presence of an anxiety disorder. Given that anxiety disorders are relatively responsive to treatment, greater awareness of their comorbidity with psychosis should yield worthwhile clinical benefits.

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