Anxiety and Related Disorders and Physical Illness

Anxiety and related disorders are the most prevalent mental disorders in the general population. There is a strong bidirectional association between anxiety and related disorders and co-occurring general medical conditions. The co-occurrence of anxiety and related disorders and general medical conditions is associated with significant impairment, morbidity and economic costs. At the same time, recognition of anxiety and related disorders in people with medical illness may be challenging when comorbid with physical illness due in part to overlap in symptomatology. Furthermore, there is a relatively limited evidence base of randomized controlled trials in this population. Additional work is needed to improve screening for anxiety and related disorders in medical illness, to enhance diagnosis and assessment, and to optimize treatment.