Anxiety severity among adults having upper gastrointestinal symptoms: Proportion and predictors - A cross-sectional study

TL;DR

This study finds that over half of adults with upper GI symptoms in India experience moderate to severe anxiety, with certain factors predicting anxiety severity.

Contribution

The study provides new data on anxiety severity and its predictors among upper GI patients in India.

Findings

53.4% of participants had moderate to severe anxiety based on GAD-7 criteria.

Age 65+, marriage, employment, vegetarianism, and GERD likelihood were predictors of anxiety severity.

Higher socio-economic status and alcohol consumption were protective against moderate to severe anxiety.

Abstract

Anxiety is common in upper GI disorders and yet data from India is lacking. Therefore, it is of interest to document the proportion
and predictors of severity of anxiety in adults with upper GI symptoms. In this cross-sectional study from a tertiary hospital in Bhopal,
India, exit interviews of patients >18 years age, with upper GI symptoms were conducted using semi-structured tools. Out of 500
participants, 16.6% had minimal, 16% mild, 53.4% moderate 14% had severe anxiety as per GAD-7 criteria. Being aged 65 and above,
married, employed, vegetarian, high likelihood of GERD were predictors, whereas, higher socio-economic status and alcohol consumption
were protective against moderate to severe anxiety. Collaborative care models focused on targeted screening for anxiety among these
patients is need of the hour.