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Exposure Therapy for Late-life Anxiety

The primary objective is to evaluate the (cost-)effectiveness of exposure therapy (ET) delivered by trained mental health nurses (MHNs) in terms of anxiety symptoms and quality of life for late life anxiety disorders in primary care compared to usual care (UC). UC is not restricted, and the general practitioner (GP) is encouraged to work according to the guidelines of the Dutch College of GPs. Participants in the ET group will receive 30-minute ET sessions delivered by a trained mental health nurse, during 8…

ClinicalTrials.gov IDNCT06770517

PhaseNA

Enrollment170

SponsorProPersona

Age65 Years

SexALL

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Conditions studied

Anxiety Disorders, Anxiety Depression

About this study

Interventions

Behavioral: Exposure therapy — The exposure therapy will be given by the mental health care nurses (MHN) working in primary care centres. In addition, there will be eight sessions spread over 12 weeks. The first session will be 60 minutes long and the rest will be 30 minutes long.
Behavioral: Usual Care — The Usual Care group will receive care based on the general practitioners guidelines for anxiety disorders in the primary care center. This will entail possible medication, e-learning or psycho-education, problem solving therapy or a referral to a mental health institution.

Primary outcomes

Is ET performed by MHNs effective compared to UC in primary care for older adults with anxiety disorders in terms of QUALYs and symptoms of anxiety? (Pre-intervention, post-intervention (after 12 weeks of treatment), 3-month follow-up (FU), 6- month FU, 9-month FU, 12-month FU)
Is ET performed by MHNs cost-effective compared to UC in primary care for older adults with anxiety disorders in terms of QUALYs and symptoms of anxiety? (Pre-intervention T0, post-intervention (after 12 weeks of treatment, also knows as T9), 3-month FU, 6- month FU, 9-month FU, 12-month FU)

Eligibility information

Inclusion Criteria: * A primary DSM-5 anxiety disorder using the Mini Internationaal Neuropsychiatrisch Interview (MINI). * One of the following DSM-5 anxiety disorders will be diagnosed, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Agoraphobia, Panic Disorder or Social Anxiety Disorder. * Participants are required to be sufficient in Dutch. Exclusion Criteria: * Exclusion criteria include somatic and/or another psychiatric morbidity that could interfere with diagnosing or treatment. * Moderate to severe suicidality, which will be determined using the MINI * Chronic and interfering substance or alcohol abuse * Having received previous psychotherapy including exposure in the past year. - * Antidepressants and benzodiazepines use are allowed if on a stable dose for a minimum of 8 weeks. * Participants will be excluded if they score lower than 18 points on the MoCa (115). A score of \<18 is indicative for moderate to severe cognitive impairment. - Participants will be excluded if they are terminally ill.

Study locations

RadboudUMC, Nederland, Nijmegen 6525EZ Netherlands

Before you participate: Varda Clinical is an independent discovery tool, not the study sponsor or a medical provider. Eligibility can only be determined by the official study team. Discuss potential risks and benefits with a qualified healthcare professional.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov. Record last refreshed by Varda Clinical: 2026-09-27.