Poster
4
(#4) Multimorbidity Burden among Adults with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Psych Congress 2025
Abstract: Background: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a prevalent and chronic mental health disorder that is associated with substantial psychiatric and physical comorbidity. This study aimed to characterize the multimorbidity burden of GAD and the association between GAD severity and increasing risk of multimorbidity.
Methods: Self-reported data from the 2022 US National Health and Wellness Survey, a cross-sectional, nationally-representative, online survey, were analyzed. US adults (aged ≥18 years) were categorized into subgroups: control (no GAD diagnosis, GAD-7 score 10) or diagnosed GAD (GAD diagnosis) with symptom severity of no/minimal (GAD-7 score ≤4), mild (5-9), moderate (10-14), or severe (≥15). Descriptive statistics and rate ratios were applied to examine the frequency of comorbidities and relative increase in multimorbidity as GAD severity increases, after adjusting for demographic and health characteristics.
Results: Of 43,472 adults included in analyses, 88.8%, 2.2%, 3.5%, 2.8%, and 2.7% were classified as control, GAD with no/minimal, mild, moderate, and severe subgroups, respectively. While almost 50% of the control group reported no comorbidities, 1.1% of the severe cohort had no comorbidities. 56% and 63% individuals with moderate and severe GAD reported having 4 or more comorbidities, compared to 10% in the control group. The mild cohort had an adjusted mean of 2.7 times more comorbidities compared to the control group, 3.0 times in moderate and 3.3 times in severe GAD.
Conclusion: Inadequately managed GAD is associated with significantly higher burden of multimorbidity. Understanding the extent and consequences of multimorbidity in GAD is critical for informing more effective, integrated care strategies.
Short Description: This study analyzed data from the 2022 U.S. National Health and Wellness Survey to assess the link between generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) severity and multimorbidity. Greater GAD severity was significantly associated with increasing multimorbidity; individuals with severe GAD had over three times the comorbidity burden of controls, with most reporting four or more. These findings underscore the need for integrated care strategies to address the complex and increasing health burden associated with GAD.
Name of Sponsoring Organization(s): MindMed
Methods: Self-reported data from the 2022 US National Health and Wellness Survey, a cross-sectional, nationally-representative, online survey, were analyzed. US adults (aged ≥18 years) were categorized into subgroups: control (no GAD diagnosis, GAD-7 score 10) or diagnosed GAD (GAD diagnosis) with symptom severity of no/minimal (GAD-7 score ≤4), mild (5-9), moderate (10-14), or severe (≥15). Descriptive statistics and rate ratios were applied to examine the frequency of comorbidities and relative increase in multimorbidity as GAD severity increases, after adjusting for demographic and health characteristics.
Results: Of 43,472 adults included in analyses, 88.8%, 2.2%, 3.5%, 2.8%, and 2.7% were classified as control, GAD with no/minimal, mild, moderate, and severe subgroups, respectively. While almost 50% of the control group reported no comorbidities, 1.1% of the severe cohort had no comorbidities. 56% and 63% individuals with moderate and severe GAD reported having 4 or more comorbidities, compared to 10% in the control group. The mild cohort had an adjusted mean of 2.7 times more comorbidities compared to the control group, 3.0 times in moderate and 3.3 times in severe GAD.
Conclusion: Inadequately managed GAD is associated with significantly higher burden of multimorbidity. Understanding the extent and consequences of multimorbidity in GAD is critical for informing more effective, integrated care strategies.
Short Description: This study analyzed data from the 2022 U.S. National Health and Wellness Survey to assess the link between generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) severity and multimorbidity. Greater GAD severity was significantly associated with increasing multimorbidity; individuals with severe GAD had over three times the comorbidity burden of controls, with most reporting four or more. These findings underscore the need for integrated care strategies to address the complex and increasing health burden associated with GAD.
Name of Sponsoring Organization(s): MindMed
