A Cross-Ethnic Comparison of Lifetime Prevalence Rates of Anxiety Disorders

Abstract

In order to examine race-ethnic differences in the lifetime prevalence rates of common anxiety disorders, we examined data from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Studies (CPES). The samples included 6,870 White Americans, 4,598 African Americans, 3,615 Hispanic Americans, and 1,628 Asian Americans. White Americans were more likely to be diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder than African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans. African Americans more frequently met criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder than White Americans, Hispanic Americans and Asian Americans. Asian Americans were also less likely to meet the diagnoses for generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder than Hispanic Americans, and were less likely to receive social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder diagnoses than White Americans. The results suggest that race and ethnicity need to be considered when assigning an anxiety disorder diagnosis, and possible reasons for the observed differences in prevalence rates between racial groups are discussed.

Ethnic differences in social anxiety between individuals of Asian heritage and European heritage: A meta-analytic review.

“…While the results of self-report studies mentioned above are in clear contrast to the greater prevalence of social anxiety in EH individuals found in two main epidemiological studies (Asnaani, 2010;Smith et al, 2006), it is premature to assume that the method of assessment (i.e., diagnostic interview vs. self-report questionnaire)…”

“…For instance, some epidemiological studies reported a greater 12-month prevalence rate for social anxiety amongst European-Americans as compared to AsianAmericans (3.01% and 2.3%, respectively; Smith et al, 2006), while others report the difference being as great as 7.3% (European-Americans: 12.6% and Asian-Americans: 5.3%; Asnaani et al, 2010). This indicates a high magnitude effect in the difference in prevalence rates with greater prevalence amongst European-Americans.…”

“…Social epidemiological studies typically found lower levels of social phobic symptomology in Asian-Americans as compared to European-Americans (Smith et al, 2006;Asnaani et al, 2010). In comparison to non-epidemiological studies that are relatively common in the psychology literature, a social epidemiological study examines the effect of social factors on individual and population health by examining differential prevalence rates of certain disorders based on categories such as sex, race, generation, and social status (Honjo, 2004).…”

Subjective, Autonomic, and Endocrine Reactivity during Social Stress in Children with Social Phobia

“…It is possible that mainly families with higher education and higher social economic status responded to our advertisements. Further concerns related our sample could be that only Caucasian children participated in our study because there is empirical evidence that the expression of social anxiety differs between ethnical groups (Asnaani et al 2010). Thus, future research comparing subjective, autonomic, and endocrine reactivity of SP in different ethical groups is needed.…”

Aspectos sociocognitivos como eventos estressantes na saúde mental em grupos étnicos e minoritários no Brasil

“…Em relação a transtornos ansiosos, dados do Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Studies (CPES) (Asnaani, Richey, Dimaite, Hinton & Hofmann, 2010) (Juang, Ittel, Hoferichter & Gallarin, 2016). Embora nem todos sofram as mesmas consequências negativas ou com a mesma intensidade, o modo como os indivíduos gerenciam suas respostas emocionais as experiências de discriminação podem ser resultado de alguma variação individual sobre os efeitos psicológicos e na saúde de uma maneira geral (Juang et al, 2016).…”