Background: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by persistent, difficult-tocontrol worry that is often accompanied by substantial comorbidity, impairment, and reduced quality of life.Yet, its prevalence in the United States remains uncertain and may be underestimated.Methods: We estimated the prevalence and incidence of diagnosed GAD among adults in the U.S. healthcare system using payer-complete closed claims data from the Komodo Healthcare Map TM database from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2023.Patients with GAD were identified using ICD-10 code F41.1.Annual and three-year prevalence, as well as annual incidence rates, were calculated and projected to the U.S. adult population.Results: From 2021 to 2023, most patients diagnosed with GAD were female, middle-aged, and commercially insured with females diagnosed at more than twice the rate of males.Projected annual prevalence increased from 5.4% in 2020 to 6.6% in 2023, with a 3-year prevalence of 10.3% over the 2021-2023 period.The projected annual incidence ranged from 2.1% to 2.3%. Conclusion:The increasing prevalence of GAD diagnoses may reflect multiple converging factors, including increased screening and recognition.Together, these updated national estimates highlight not only the increasing prevalence of GAD but also the need to expand access to care and improve the effectiveness of treatments.
Ferries et al. (Sun,) studied this question.