The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued a new recommendation stating that adults aged 19 to 64 in the United States should undergo screening for anxiety disorders.
This marks the first final recommendation from the task force regarding anxiety disorder screening in adults, including pregnant and postpartum individuals.
However, the USPSTF found insufficient evidence to support screening for anxiety in older adults.
The recommendation also aligns with the task force’s previous guidance from 2016, which advised screening all adults for major depressive disorder, including pregnant or postpartum individuals and older adults.
The USPSTF is an independent group of medical experts whose recommendations influence doctors’ decisions and insurance plans.
In recent years, the prevalence of clinical depression has been steadily increasing in the United States, but it experienced a significant surge during the COVID-19 pandemic.