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Prevalence and clinical features of anxiety disorders: Tunisian study about 436 subjects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

M. Jabeur*
Affiliation:
Research laboratory LR 05 ES 10 “Vulnerability to Psychotic Disorders”, Faculty of medicine, University of Monastir, Psychiatry Department, University Hospital Of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
L. Gassab
Affiliation:
Research laboratory LR 05 ES 10 “Vulnerability to Psychotic Disorders”, Faculty of medicine, University of Monastir, Psychiatry Department, University Hospital Of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
A. Ayadi
Affiliation:
Research laboratory LR 05 ES 10 “Vulnerability to Psychotic Disorders”, Faculty of medicine, University of Monastir, Psychiatry Department, University Hospital Of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
B. Ben Mohamed
Affiliation:
Research laboratory LR 05 ES 10 “Vulnerability to Psychotic Disorders”, Faculty of medicine, University of Monastir, Psychiatry Department, University Hospital Of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
F. Zaafrane
Affiliation:
Research laboratory LR 05 ES 10 “Vulnerability to Psychotic Disorders”, Faculty of medicine, University of Monastir, Psychiatry Department, University Hospital Of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
L. Gaha
Affiliation:
Research laboratory LR 05 ES 10 “Vulnerability to Psychotic Disorders”, Faculty of medicine, University of Monastir, Psychiatry Department, University Hospital Of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Anxiety disorders represent one of the most common mental disorders following a chronic course.

Objectives

The aim of our study is to determine the prevalence, incidence and clinical characteristics of these disorders.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study about 436 outpatients fulfilling the DSM-V diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorder and followed in the department of psychiatry of Monastir (Tunisia) between 1998 and 2017. Selective mutism and separation anxiety were excluded for lack of cases.

Results

The overall prevalence was 5.51%. Panic Disorder was the most prevalent anxiety disorder subtype (3.2%). The incidence of anxiety disorders in the last years has increased from 3.31% in 1998 to 7.5% in 2017. The mean age at diagnosis was 37.76±12.87 years [16-77]. Female gender was the most prevalent in overall anxiety disorders with a sex ratio of 0.78, however, a significant male predominance was recorded in Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) with a sex ratio of 1.85. Generalized Anxiety Disorder patients were more likely to have low educational level (OR= 1.879), to be laborers (OR=2.55), to be married (OR=2.418) and to have children (OR=2.564) whereas SAD patients were more likely to have higher education (OR=9.118), to be students (OR=5.565), to be single (OR=11.325) and have no children (OR=7.464).

Conclusions

This study highlignts the frequency of anxiety disorders and the fact that being a middle-age married woman with kids make oneself more prone to have an anxiety disorder. Specific attention should be paid to these anxiety disorders with early preventive programs.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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