A Study to Assess the Relationship Between Depression and Osteoarthritis According to the Severity of Pain and Loss of Function
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background & Objective: As there is increase in the obesity and elderly population worldwide,Osteoarthritis(OA) diseaseisunfortunatelyontherise.Whenthedurationofdiseaseincreases,thereis achancethatthe psychological morbidity evolves into depression .The objective of this study is to assess a relationshipbetweendepression and osteoarthritis according to the severity of pain and loss of function.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Orthopedic and Rheumatology department ofCombined Military Hospital, Lahore from October 2022 to March 2023. All the patients reporting to theoutpatient department of either gender aged more than 45 years with a diagnosis of OA based on X-rayfindings and a consultant review were included in our study. Severity of OAwas studied using the WOMAC(Western Ontario and McMaster Universities) Osteoarthritis Index. Depression was measured using thePersonal Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scale in these patients simultaneously. (12) It was translated in Urdufor the ease of our participants.Results: Out ofthe 196 participants of ourstudy, 71 (36.2%)weremaleswhile 125 (63.8%)were females.Meanage of the participants of our study was 55.49 Years + 8.98. Mean WOMAC index score was 61.02 + 19.11. 3(1.5%) patients of OA had mild disease in our study and no depression was found in them. In the moderatedisease group, 34 (17.3%) had no symptoms of depression, 62 (31.6%) had minimal depression, none hadmild,moderate orsevere depressionwhile only 1 (0.5%) hadmoderately severe depression.Out of 96 (48.9%) ofthe OApatients with severe disease as per the WOMAC index, 3 (1.5%) had minimal depression, 47 (23.9%)had mild depression, 15 (7.6%) had moderate depression, 27 (13.8%) had moderately severe depression and4 (2.0%) had severe depression.Conclusion: OAis a debilitating disease. Quality oflife of patientsisseverely affected asthe duration increasesdue to pain, stiffness and loss of function of joints. Long term disease leads to depression of variable degrees. .Thus early diagnosis and timely intervention in such patients with an individualized management plan canimprove the outcome and quality of life of patients.
Language: English
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7212938522