Depression and Other Chronic Conditions

If you suffer from arthritis, you are at risk for depression as well. A World Health Organization (WHO) survey compared depression and overall health, and with four other chronic diseases:

• Angina


• Arthritis


• Asthma
  
• Diabetes

This study, published in "Lancet," incorporated 240,000 people from over 60 countries around the world. Health scores were given to people without the above chronic conditions as well as those with. People answered questions on their ability to function daily activities, movement and memory, sleep, energy and interpersonal activities. Results ranged from 1 to 100.

• People WITHOUT chronic conditions averaged a score of about 90.
  
• People WITH chronic conditions dropped a full 10 points, to an average score of 80.

The possibility of further depression in patients with chronic diseases is high:

• angina - 15%


• arthritis - 11%


• asthma - 18%


• diabetes - 9%

Depression often goes hand in hand with chronic health problems. This study measured the impact of depression .