Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — For the first time, the US Preventive Services Task Force is recommending that adults under the age of 65 be screened for anxiety, in a draft recommendation published Tuesday.
The USPSTF includes a group of independent disease prevention experts and medical experts whose recommendations guide physicians’ decisions. This draft recommendation is not final, but it is currently in the public comment phase.
Laurie Papert, a member of the US Preventive Services Task Force, told CNN that the panel found that “anxiety screening in adults under the age of 65, which includes pregnant women and postpartum women … may help identify anxiety early,” adding: So this is really interesting.”
The service group defines anxiety disorders as “characterized by a prolonged duration or greater intensity of response to stress from everyday events.” Recognized types include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and agoraphobia. The drafts of the service team also recommend screening for major depressive disorder in adults, according to depression screening recommendations published in 2016.
Papert, a clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, said the anxiety screening recommendation was a priority “given its importance to public health, particularly with the increasing focus on mental health in this country.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a new wave of anxiety and depression, though levels have declined somewhat since then. A new report published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Control (CDC) indicated that adults aged 18 to 44 were the lowest group to receive mental health treatment in 2019, but became the most likely to develop anxiety in 2021.
Scan tools are already available
The anxiety screening recommendation applies to adults 19 and older who do not have a mental health disorder. The depression screening recommendations apply to people 18 and older who don’t have a mental health disorder and who don’t show any common signs of depression or suicide risk.
Papert stressed that people who already have signs or symptoms should be evaluated and linked to care for these conditions.
Rapid screening tools for both anxiety and depression have been developed and are available for use in primary care centres. Most of the current screening tools include questionnaires and metrics.
The service team pointed out that any positive test result should lead to additional evaluations to confirm it. She also indicated that there is little evidence for the optimal timing and interval for screening, and more evidence is needed.
And the US Preventive Services Task Force indicated that if the data is missing, a practical approach might include screening all adults who have not previously undergone it, and using clinical judgment that takes into account other factors, such as underlying health conditions and life conditions, to make decisions about whether there are Additional screening is needed for people at high risk.
Recommendations for screening for anxiety and depression are what the service team places in a “B” rating, which means that the clinician should provide the service because there is a “moderate net benefit.”
“There are missed opportunities in primary care practice, which is why we need research to understand what is the best way to screen individuals who have no known signs or symptoms of suicide risk, so that we can identify them and link them to a care centre,” Papert explained.
Raising awareness of mental health care
Papert found that screening for anxiety disorders is important given the lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders in the United States, which the draft recommendations set at 26% for men and 40% for women.
“This is a common mental health concern,” she added, adding that “that’s why it’s so important for us to treat and detect anxiety disorders.”
The Preventive Services Task Force members also hope the recommendations will raise awareness about the need for mental health screening and treatment.
Papert also noted that the service team is very concerned about health equity.
The public will be able to comment on the draft recommendations until 17 October.