Screening of Generalized Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in Patients with more than Two Physical Diseases of Age 60-80 Years in General Practice

Aim: To investigate the prevalence of clinically pronounced and subsyndromal depressive and anxiety symptoms in patients with more than two bodily diseases; Method: A group of patients in the age range 60-80 years with more than two documented chronic bodily diseases was examined using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 instruments as part of the PRIME-MD. The patients, health records were used to assess multimorbidity. The severity was assessed using the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale(CRIS). Results: Generalized anxiety and depressive syndromes are significantly more common in multimorbid patients. Multimorbidity(MM) is associated with a higher total score of PHQ-9 and GAD-7 and more severe levels of generalized anxiety and depressive symptoms than the general population. Conclusion: Multimorbidity is the rule rather than the exception at late age. Diagnosis of generalized anxiety and depression in patients with multimorbidity may be difficult due to the manifestation of depressive and anxiety symptoms such as somatic symptoms.