Exposure Therapy for Anxiety in Older Adults in Primary Care

This study is testing exposure therapy — a well-established type of psychological treatment — delivered by trained mental health nurses in primary care clinics for older adults with anxiety disorders. Exposure therapy helps people gradually and safely face the situations or thoughts that trigger their anxiety. The trial will compare this new way of delivering the therapy to standard care that your doctor would normally provide.

Many older adults with anxiety go undiagnosed or untreated, partly because they often prefer therapy over medication and transportation to specialty clinics is difficult. Exposure therapy is the most effective treatment for anxiety, but it has not been studied in primary care settings for older adults. This trial will test whether nurses in your regular doctor's office can deliver this therapy successfully and cost-effectively.