The physiological impact of arthritis: prevalence of depression

Attempts to estimate the prevalence of depression in people with arthritis are complicated by conceptual, definitional, and measurement problems and inconsistencies. Following a description of these methodologic problems, recent studies of depressive disorders and depressive symptoms in clinical and community samples are reviewed. The review suggests that although most people with rheumatic diseases do not experience them, depressive disorders and symptoms are probably more prevalent among people with rheumatic diseases than among people with no chronic diseases. This somewhat increased prevalence is probably no greater than that found in other serious chronic diseases, however. Additional research is needed.