Global prevalence of anxiety symptoms and its associated factors in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the global prevalence of anxiety symptoms in older adults and explore the associated factors contributing to anxiety symptoms in this population. A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple electronic databases to identify relevant studies published up to 27 February 2023. A total of 17 articles met the inclusion criteria. The global prevalence of anxiety symptoms among older adults was 28%. Subgroup analyses indicated the continent, and the assessment tools significantly affect the overall prevalence. The associated factors identified encompassed sociodemographic, health-related, and psychosocial domains, with the female gender, physical comorbidities, and low social support and social isolation being the most reported associated factors for anxiety in each domain. The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis provide valuable insights into the global prevalence of anxiety symptoms in this population and the associated factors contributing to its occurrence.