The USPSTF’s decision was motivated by the increasing prevalence of anxiety disorders and the difficulty identifying symptoms in a primary care setting, thus delaying treatment, as noted in the release.
What’s more, many people with anxiety present with symptoms such as insomnia, increased sweating, and muscle tension, which can be confused for purely physical concerns, board-certified psychiatrist Sue Varma, M.D., P.C., DFAPA tells mindbodygreen. With this new screening, physicians may be able to connect the dots for those experiencing anxiety sooner.
Because this is a recommendation and not a requirement, it may not happen right away at every doctor’s office. However, the USPSTF has created the anxiety screening and made it accessible for physicians—meaning the heavy lifting is done, so physicians may be more inclined to implement the changes sooner. What’s more, the task force partners with countless entities to spread the word, including the American Academy of Family Physicians.
But why cut off these screenings at 65? “Many individuals in this age category may present with physical symptoms of anxiety—i.e. aches pains and headaches or insomnia, and it may in fact be legitimate health problems, not anxiety—leading to a lot of false positives,” Varma says.
“At the same time, there is a high degree of anxiety for a variety of reasons—loss of mobility, good health, divorce, empty nesters, losing friends to illness and death with advancing age,” she adds, so it’s still important for physicians to keep an eye out for symptoms of anxiety regardless of whether official screenings become the norm.
