Module 3: Assessment
Lesson 5
Epidemiology of anxiety disorders
Anxiety disorders affect approximately 2.5 million Canadians over the course of their lifetimes with a reported yearly prevalence of approximately 12%-18%. Women in Canada (3.2%) tend to have higher rates of generalized anxiety order than men (2.0%), which is consistent with reports from other jurisdictions. Unlike depression, anxiety rates are constant across all age groups until after age 65, when they drop (Statistics Canada, 2013).
Risk factors include family history of anxiety, being female, stressful or traumatic life event (including abuse), personal history of anxiety in childhood, and comorbid psychiatric disorders, particularly depression.
Lifetime prevalence of Generalized Anxiety Disorder by provincial region
More information on the epidemiology of anxiety:
- Pearson, C., Ali, J., & Janz, T. (2013). Health at a Glance – Mental and substance abuse disorders in Canada. Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada.
- Offord, D. R., Boyle, M. H., Campbell, D., Goering, P., Lin, E., Wong, M., & Racine, Y. A. (1996). One-year prevalence of psychiatric disorder in Ontarians 15 to 64 years of age. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 41, 559–563.
- Statistics Canada. (2013). Table 105-1101 – Mental Health Profile, Canadian Community Health Survey – Mental Health (CCHS), by age group and sex, Canada and provinces. Retrieved from http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26?id=1051101&retrLang=eng&lang=eng
Reference:
- Statistics Canada. (2013). Mental Health Profile, Canadian Community Health Survey – Mental Health (CCHS). Retrieved from http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26?id=1051101&retrLang=eng&lang=eng
