Table 4.
Associations between different forms of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) reported in 1996–2000 and hospital admissions in 1999/2000–2009 in 17 939 British people over the age of 40
| Characteristic | IRR and 95% CI | |||
| GAD type | ||||
| Frequent GAD | ||||
| Yes* | 1.07 (0.91 to 1.27)† | |||
| No | 1.00 | |||
| Chronic GAD | ||||
| Yes‡ | 1.07 (0.85 to 1.35)† | |||
| No | 1.00 | |||
| Early age GAD onset | ||||
| Yes§ | 1.16 (0.95 to 1.41)† | |||
| No | 1.00 | |||
| Comorbid GAD | 1.23 (1.02 to 1.49)† | |||
| Yes¶ | 1.00 | |||
| No | ||||
| Sociodemographics | ||||
| Age | ||||
| Per 10 years | 1.22 (1.18 to 1.25) | 1.21 (1.18 to 1.25) | 1.22 (1.18 to 1.25) | 1.21 (1.17 to 1.25) |
| Sex | ||||
| Women | 0.78 (0.74 to 0.81) | 0.78 (0.74 to 0.81) | 0.78 (0.74 to 0.81) | 0.78 (0.75 to 0.82) |
| Men | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Education** | ||||
| Low | 1.10 (1.06 to 1.16) | 1.11 (1.06 to 1.16) | 1.10 (1.06 to 1.16) | 1.12 (1.07 to 1.18) |
| High | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Marital status | ||||
| Single | 0.84 (0.76 to 0.94) | 0.84 (0.76 to 0.94) | 0.84 (0.76 to 0.94) | 0.83 (0.74 to 0.93) |
| Married | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Other†† | 1.10 (1.03 to 1.16) | 1.09 (1.03 to 1.16) | 1.09 (1.03 to 1.16) | 1.03 (0.97 to 1.10) |
| Social class | ||||
| Manual | 1.21 (1.16 to 1.26) | 1.21 (1.16 to 1.26) | 1.21 (1.16 to 1.26) | 1.21 (1.16 to 1.27) |
| Non-manual | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Employment | ||||
| Yes | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| No | 1.15 (1.09 to 1.21) | 1.15 (1.09 to 1.21) | 1.15 (1.09 to 1.21) | 1.17 (1.11 to 1.24) |
| Health status | ||||
| Physical conditions‡‡ | ||||
| Yes | 1.17 (1.13 to 1.23) | 1.17 (1.13 to 1.23) | 1.17 (1.13 to 1.23) | 1.17 (1.12 to 1.22) |
| No | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Disability level | ||||
| High§§ | 1.48 (1.42 to 1.55) | 1.48 (1.42 to 1.55) | 1.48 (1.42 to 1.55) | 1.48 (1.42 to 1.55) |
| Low | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Psychiatric conditions | ||||
| Past-year MDD | ||||
| Yes | 1.32 (1.20 to 1.45) | 1.33 (1.22 to 1.46) | 1.33 (1.21 to 1.46) | – |
| No | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Lifestyle | ||||
| Physical activity | ||||
| Active¶¶ | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.02 (0.97 to 1.07) |
| Inactive | 1.04 (1.00 to 1.09) | 1.04 (1.00 to 1.09) | 1.04 (1.00 to 1.09) | 1.00 |
| Smoking status | ||||
| Current smoker | 1.51 (1.41 to 1.62) | 1.51 (1.41 to 1.62) | 1.51 (1.41 to 1.62) | 1.56 (1.45 to 1.68) |
| Former smoker | 1.13 (1.08 to 1.18) | 1.13 (1.08 to 1.18) | 1.13 (1.08 to 1.18) | 1.14 (1.09 to 1.19) |
| Never-smoker | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Alcohol intake | ||||
| High*** | 0.92 (0.88 to 0.96) | 0.92 (0.88 to 0.96) | 0.92 (0.88 to 0.96) | 0.93 (0.89 to 0.98) |
| Low | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
*3+ episodes of lifetime GAD.
†Adjusted for sociodemographics, physical conditions, disability, MDD, physical activity, smoking, alcohol.
‡GAD episodes lasted at least 6 months.
§GAD developed before 30 years of age.
¶GAD-MDD comorbidity.
**High education: O-level, A-level, degree; low education: refers to no education.
††Other: divorced, separated, widowed.
‡‡Physical conditions: respiratory disease (asthma and bronchitis), allergies and hay fever, stroke, heart attack, cancer, diabetes, thyroid conditions, arthritis.
§§Below the physical component summary score value of 50.6.
¶¶Moderately inactive, moderately active, active.
***3+ units of alcohol/week (one pint beer=two units, one glass wine=one unit, one glass sherry=one unit, one glass spirit=one unit).
IRR, incidence rate ratio; MDD, major depressive disorder.