Level of Anxiety among the Elderly Adults at Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37107/jhas.2Abstract
Anxiety disorders are abnormal states in which most striking features are mental and physical symptoms of anxiety, whichare not caused by organic brain disease or any other psychiatric disorder. This study aimed at exploring the level of anxietyamong the elderly adults in inpatient and outpatient departments of western regional hospital, Pokhara, Nepal.This is a hospitalbased cross-sectional study conducted in the outpatient as well as inpatient departments, medical and geriatric ward of westernregional hospital, Pokhara. We interviewed 318 respondents purposively using structured interview schedule. Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS) – Version 2.0 was used to assess anxiety symptoms. It was found an overall 68% had anxiety. The highestfrequency 209 (65.7%) respondents had moderate anxiety whereas only 7(2.2%) had high anxiety. Sex, religion and monthlyfamily income were significantlyassociated with level of anxiety (p<0.05). The burden of anxiety among elderly patients visiting tertiary level health care suggestsfocusing on evidence-based interventions by health authority.
Key words : Anxiety, Elderly, Magnitude, Nepal