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From: NIH news releases and news items [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of NIH OLIB (NIH/OD)
Sent: December 08, 2010 09:52
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: NIHSENIORHEALTH.GOV OFFERS INFO ON ANXIETY DISORDERS IN OLDER
ADULTS
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIH News
National Institute on Aging (NIA) <http://www.nia.nih.gov/>
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, December 8, 2010
CONTACT:
Stephanie Dailey, NIA, 301-496-1752, <e-mail:[log in to unmask]>
Kathy Cravedi, NLM, 301-496-6308, <e-mail:[log in to unmask]>
Colleen Labbe, NIMH, 301-443-4536, <e-mail:[log in to unmask]>
NIHSENIORHEALTH.GOV OFFERS INFO ON ANXIETY DISORDERS IN OLDER ADULTS
Anxiety caused by stressful events like moving or losing a job is a normal
part of life. Anxiety disorders, on the other hand, are characterized by
persistent, excessive and disabling fear and worry and get progressively
worse if left untreated. It is estimated that anxiety disorders affect
between 3 and 14 percent of older adults in a given year. To provide an
older audience with additional information, NIHSeniorHealth, the health and
wellness website for older adults from the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), has added a topic about anxiety disorders
(http://nihseniorhealth.gov/anxietydisorders/toc.html).
Visitors to the website can learn about the risk factors, symptoms and
treatments for generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, panic disorder,
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
and specific phobias such as fear of flying or fear of public speaking.
Anxiety disorders can severely affect a person's life, and they are often
overlooked in older adults.
"Conditions that commonly occur with age, such as depression, heart disease
and diabetes, may have symptoms that mimic or mask anxiety symptoms, making
diagnosis in older adults difficult," says Thomas R. Insel, M.D., director
of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), which developed the
anxiety disorders topic for NIHSeniorHealth. "Often, these health conditions
will need to be addressed before a person will respond to treatment for an
anxiety disorder."
It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between common anxiety caused
by adapting to difficult life changes -- such as fear of falling after a hip
replacement -- and an actual anxiety disorder. The new topic on
NIHSeniorHealth is a good way for older adults to learn more about the way
these disorders can affect them.
Information about anxiety disorders is the latest addition to the roster of
health topics offered on NIHSeniorHealth (www.nihseniorhealth.gov). A joint
effort of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Library of
Medicine (NLM), the website features research-based, easily accessible
information on a range of health issues of interest to older people. To
improve access for older adults, NIHSeniorHealth includes short,
easy-to-read segments of information in a number of formats, including
various large-print type sizes, open-captioned videos and an audio version.
Current NIHSeniorHealth topics include ways to exercise properly; safe use
of medicines; and management of diseases such as stroke, diabetes,
osteoporosis and Alzheimer's disease. Future topics will focus on hip
replacement, long-term care and non-medical drug use.
The NLM is the world's largest library of the health sciences and collects,
organizes and makes available biomedical science information to scientists,
health professionals and the public. For more information, visit the website
at <www.nlm.nih.gov>.
The mission of the NIMH is to transform the understanding and treatment of
mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for
prevention, recovery and cure. For more information, visit the website at
<www.nimh.nih.gov>.
The NIA leads the federal government effort conducting and supporting
research on aging and the health and well-being of older people. The
Institute's broad scientific program seeks to understand the nature of aging
and to extend the healthy, active years of life. For more information on
research and aging, go to <www.nia.nih.gov>.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- The Nation's Medical Research
Agency -- includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency
for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical
research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both
common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs,
visit <www.nih.gov>.
##
This NIH News Release is available online at:
<http://www.nih.gov/news/health/dec2010/nia-08.htm>.
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