The cost-effectiveness of treatments for anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental disorders and contribute substantially to the global burden of disease. Although treatment rates for anxiety disorders are low, they are associated with a high utilization of healthcare services related to investigation and treatment for somatic manifestations. This can incur substantial healthcare expenditure. There have been 33 studies evaluating the cost-effectiveness of various treatment interventions for anxiety disorders (up until November 2012). While the focus of this chapter is the cost-effectiveness of anxiety treatments, it is important to note that there have been studies that have evaluated the cost-effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent anxiety disorders. The studies that have used techniques that aim to enhance comparability have consistently demonstrated that there are very cost-effective pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments available for anxiety disorders. While treatments for some disorders are well evaluated, such as GAD and panic disorder, others are not.