A Holistic Approach to Physical and Mental Health: Associations Between Chronic Disease and Psychiatric Conditions

Prior studies suggest that patients with chronic conditions are more likely to develop psychiatric disorders compared to healthy individuals without any medical conditions. The objective of this study was to investigate the link between chronic conditions and psychiatric disorders. The authors hypothesize that patients with chronic conditions have a higher comorbidity of certain psychiatric disorders compared to healthy individuals. Patients from Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (Rowan SOM) Family Medicine offices completed an anonymous survey about medical and psychiatric diagnoses (Appendix 1). Multivariate analysis was used to examine the relationships between patients' rank of control of their chronic medical and psychiatric conditions compared to the age of onset and total number of conditions. One-hundred thirteen study participants reported having at least one chronic condition and seventy-four reported having at least one psychiatric disorder listed on the survey. Among the participants comorbid with both medical and psychiatric conditions, patients' ranking of control of their chronic conditions positively correlated with their ranking of control of their psychiatric disorders (p = 0.009). Patients' ranking of control of their chronic conditions negatively correlated with the total number of psychiatric disorders (p = 0.002). The study did not generate significant evidence to support the original hypothesis. The results highlight a strong relationship between patients' perceived control of their physical health and mental health. The comorbidity of both chronic conditions and psychiatric disorders may present challenges for patients. Utilizing a holistic approach to patient care can help clinicians improve patient outcomes.