Multimorbidity and depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Psychiatry
• Public Health

Background:

• Multimorbidity, the co-occurrence of multiple chronic conditions, is a growing public health concern.
• The complexity of managing multiple chronic diseases significantly impacts mental health assessment and treatment, particularly for depression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the intricate relationship between multimorbidity and the prevalence of depression.
• To quantify the risk of developing depressive disorders or symptoms in individuals managing multiple chronic health conditions.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive systematic literature search was performed across major databases including PsychINFO, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Central.
• A meta-analysis was conducted on data from 40 eligible articles, encompassing a total of 381,527 participants, to determine the risk associated with multimorbidity.

Main Results:

• Individuals with multimorbidity exhibited a two-fold increased risk of depressive disorder compared to those without [RR: 2.13].
• The risk escalated to nearly three times greater for those with multimorbidity versus individuals with no chronic physical conditions [RR: 2.97].
• Each additional chronic condition increased the odds of having a depressive disorder by 45% [OR: 1.45], with a significant weak association between the number of conditions and depressive symptoms [r = 0.26].

Conclusions:

• Depression is significantly more prevalent, ranging from two to three times higher, in individuals with multimorbidity.
• Enhanced awareness of this elevated risk is essential for improving the early identification and management strategies for depression in patients with multiple chronic conditions.