Association between arthritis and depression risk: a prospective study and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Epidemiology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Arthritis is a prevalent condition affecting middle-aged and elderly populations.
• Depression is a common mental health issue with significant public health implications.
• The relationship between chronic physical conditions like arthritis and mental health outcomes, such as depression, warrants further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively evaluate the association between arthritis and depression in middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults.
• To confirm the association between arthritis and depression in other populations through meta-analysis.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011-2016).
• Depression assessed using the Chinese version of the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D).
• Arthritis assessed by self-reported physician diagnosis; Cox proportional hazards regression models used for analysis; random effects models for meta-analysis.

Main Results:

• The study included 7,386 participants (mean age 58.48 years).
• Individuals with arthritis had a 35% higher risk of incident depression (HR: 1.35) and a 50% higher risk of persistent depression (HR: 1.50).
• Meta-analysis of prospective studies confirmed an increased risk of depression in individuals with arthritis (summary HR: 1.42).

Conclusions:

• A significant positive relationship exists between arthritis and depression in middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults.
• The findings are consistent with evidence from other populations, highlighting a global association.
• This research underscores the importance of addressing mental health comorbidities in individuals with arthritis.