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# Anxiety Disorders and Culture This document discusses the prevalence and characteristics of anxiety disorders, considering cultural factors. ## Prevalence * **16.4%** 12-month prevalence of anxiety disorders in primary care settings (DSM-III). * **18%** prevalence even excluding specific ph...

# Anxiety Disorders and Culture This document discusses the prevalence and characteristics of anxiety disorders, considering cultural factors. ## Prevalence * **16.4%** 12-month prevalence of anxiety disorders in primary care settings (DSM-III). * **18%** prevalence even excluding specific phobias. * **40%** of patients with non-cardiac chest pain also have panic disorder. * **19%** of patients with focal epilepsy develop comorbid anxiety disorders (e.g., fear of another seizure in public). * Anxiety disorders are present in all cultures, but prevalence varies. * **Europe**: 8.4% * **USA**: 22% * **Australia**: 5.6% * **China**: 13% * **Canada**: 5.8% (PD, Agoraphobia, SAD only) * **Francophone**: 3.85 * **Anglophone**: 4.89 ## Cultural Factors * Anxiety disorders are more common in Francophone than Anglophone populations, potentially due to differences in access to and use of mental health care in wealthier Anglophone countries. * **Tiwari & Wang (2006)** examined cultural groups in Canada (Canadian Community Health Survey, residents > 13 years old) * Self-reported heritage: * **European**: 33,399 (10% immigrants) * **Chinese**: 733 (84.5% immigrants) * **Other Asian**: 1,113 (86%) * **European backgrounds** seemed to have higher risk of anxiety than other groups in Canada. * **Consistency** in anxiety and depression among different cultural groups is observed in the research. * Research challenges exist in defining culture; ethnicity vs culture, issues with research definitions. One challenge is whether to use any gold standard. * Many Canadians consider themselves to be bi-cultural. * Third-generation individuals are most like Canadian culture compared to heritage groups. * "Asian" vs "European" grouping may conceal differences within the groups. * Southern European cultures differ from Northern European cultures in some key anxiety disorders. * Emotional terms (e.g., social anxiety disorder (SAD)) don't translate well between languages, potentially influencing how such conditions are diagnosed and understood. * Some anxiety disorders, generalized anxiety disorder or worry, are recognized to be universal across cultures. ## Other Relevant Characteristics * Anxiety disorders are frequently chronic. * They often lead to significant personal impairment. * It is associated with risk factors such as other disorders (depression, suicide, substance abuse). * **31%** of comorbidity with other anxiety disorders. * Depression is comorbid with anxiety disorders in **50%** of cases. * Increased risk of substance abuse. * Possible links with suicide. * Multiple health conditions. * Economic burden for society.