Mental Disorders in People with Arthritis
Author Information
Author(s): Scott B Patten, Jeanne Williams, JianLi Wang
Primary Institution: University of Calgary
Hypothesis
Is there a relationship between arthritis and the prevalence of mental disorders in the general population?
Conclusion
Arthritis is associated with a higher prevalence of various mental disorders, including mood and anxiety disorders.
Supporting Evidence
- Subjects with arthritis had a 5.0% prevalence of major depressive disorder.
- The prevalence of bipolar disorder was found to be 1.2% among those with arthritis.
- Anxiety disorders were present in 3.0% of subjects with arthritis.
- The study found that mood and anxiety disorders contribute independently to disability.
Takeaway
People with arthritis often feel sad or anxious, and this is more common in younger people.
Methodology
Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey was analyzed, focusing on subjects diagnosed with arthritis or rheumatism.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification bias due to reliance on self-reported health status.
Limitations
The study could not distinguish specific types of arthritis and relied on self-reported diagnoses.
Participant Demographics
Participants were randomly selected from the national population of Canada, aged 15 and over.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.006 for major depression interaction with age
Confidence Interval
95% CI 17.0–18.0 for prevalence of arthritis
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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