Generalized Anxiety Disorder in People living with Chronic illness

Key things to know What the evidence shows
How common is it? Not established across all chronic illnesses
Is it more common among people living with chronic illness? Depends substantially on disease
Are people living with chronic illness at higher risk? Yes for several chronic conditions, but no universal estimate
How much higher is the risk? Disease-specific
How often can it be missed? High because physical symptoms overlap disease
Does it show up differently among people living with chronic illness? Somewhat
How might it look different? Worry often centres on prognosis, treatment and bodily symptoms
What commonly occurs alongside it? Depression; disease-specific psychiatric disorders
What can it be confused with? Anxiety due to medical condition/medication; adjustment disorder
Common screening tool GAD-7
Separate screening tool for people living with chronic illness None universal
1 of 14