Economic evidence in anxiety disorders: A review

Based on this literature review, one obvious conclusion is that there are currently big gaps in the available literature regarding the costs of anxiety disorders in Europe. Very few studies reporting cost estimates were found. Only two studies in total were found for GAD, one from France and one from Hungary. Only one Spanish study was found for panic disorder. No studies were found for the other anxiety disorders. The reviewed studies reveal some cost patterns in France (for GAD) for patients with and without comorbidities and for Spain for panic disorder patients; but from a European-wide perspective, based on these scarce findings, the lack of available data makes it difficult, if not impossible, to use the identified data to extrapolate the costs in countries where no studies/data were found. The only conclusion that can be made regarding this is the clear need for more research in this area, both in the Western European countries as well as in the Central and Eastern European countries.