Antecedents of anxiety syndromes in a cohort of 50,465 young men in Sweden. A prospective analysis of self-reported and professionally assessed psychosocial characteristics.

The purpose of this study was to find psychiatric, behavioral and social characteristics that predict subsequent anxiety syndromes in men. Questionnaire data were collected in a cohort of all 50,465 men in Sweden who were conscripted for military training. By record linkage with the national psychiatric inpatient register, we identified 68 probands with pure anxiety neurosis occurring in the cohort during a 13-year follow-up period. Baseline characteristics were categorized into 8 variables that were entered into logistic regression models. We found that reported treatment with psychoactive drugs and perceived mental health problems at baseline increased the odds of being admitted for anxiety neurosis by 1.9 and 1.8. Other predictors were family problems (odds ratio = 2.0) and having a family member being treated with psychoactive drugs (odds ratio = 1.7). Univariate relative risks were higher, and a psychiatric diagnosis at conscription conferred a relative risk of anxiety neurosis of 2.2. A similar profile was obtained for subjects admitted for a depressive neurosis, in support of the continuum hypothesis between anxiety and depression. We conclude that the necessity of admission for anxiety neurosis in young men originates in genuine mental symptoms in the family setting.