U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommends Screening Adults for Anxiety Disorders

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)for the first time is recommending that adults under the age of 65 receive screening for anxiety disorders. Thefinal recommendation statement by the USPSTF was published today inJAMA.“Amid the mental health crisis in the United States, the Task Force worked to provide primary care professionals and their patients with recommendations on evidence-based screening,” task force vice chair Michael Silverstein, M.D., M.P.H., said in aUSPSTF Bulletin. “Fortunately, screening all adults for depression, including those who are pregnant and postpartum, and screening adults younger than 65 for anxiety disorders is effective in identifying these conditions so adults can receive the care they need.”The USPSTF is an independent, volunteer panel of national experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine that makes recommendations about the effectiveness of preventive care services. The current recommendations were based on the findings of a systematic review to evaluate the benefits and harms of screening for anxiety disorders in asymptomatic adults aged 19 years and older, including those who were pregnant or postpartum.In theJAMA report, the USPSTF described a review of 10 studies (n  = 6,463) that evaluated the accuracy of screening for anxiety disorders using a variety of assessments in asymptomatic adults aged 19 years or older. The studies included older adults (those 65 years or older), pregnant patients, and participants...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: anxiety disorder asymptomatic general anxiety disorder JAMA PTSD screening suicidality U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Source Type: research