Frequency of generalized anxiety disorder among women and its relationship with socio-demographic factors in Peshawar, Pakistan

Introduction: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common problem of mental health worldwide, significantly more prevalent in women. Most of the studies done in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province of Pakistan about prevalence of GAD in women, focus on certain specific groups of women with particular characteristics. There is lack of data in non-diseased, common, random women in a big city. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of GAD amongst women and to investigate its correlation with socio-demographic factors (like age, place of residence, marital status, having children or not, education, self-income, family system type and income of the family) in them. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between 15th August 2023 and 5th January 2024 at Peshawar Institute of Health Sciences, Peshawar, Pakistan. The sample size was 385 women above the age of 18 years that included women attendants with random patients visiting hospital on the day of interview. Women on treatment with psychiatric complaints were excluded. Simple random sampling was done. GAD was assessed using the validated Urdu version of GAD-7 scale. A cut-off score of 10 or above was considered indicative of a GAD diagnosis. The association between GAD and socio-demographic factors were estimated using chi-square test. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). P value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: According to outcome of research, 23.6 % (n=91) had pathological (moderate and severe anxiety according to GAD-7 scale) GAD. Out of these 7 % had severe GAD. Being single and not having children were significantly associated with GAD (p≤0.05). Age, residence, education, family system and economic status were not significantly associated. Conclusion: The prevalence of GAD was high among women in Peshawar, and it was associated with single marital status and with being childless.