The relationship between disease symptoms, life events, coping and treatment, and depression among older adults with osteoarthritis

Abstract

Objective: The intent of this cross-sectional study was to broaden the range of variables examined in relationship to depression in osteoarthritis (OA) to include comorbidity, stressful life events, and the ways people respond to their disease. We examined the relationship of coping behaviors and perceptions, and medical treatments received for OA and depressive symptoms.

Methods: In the fifth year of a prospective cohort study, 1227 individuals >or= 62 years of age with hip/knee OA provided information about sociodemographics (age, sex, living circumstances, education), arthritis severity (WOMAC pain and function; ClinHAQ fatigue), comorbidity, life events, coping behavior, coping efficacy, treatment (pain management, treatment for depression), and depressed mood (Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale, CES-D). Using hierarchical linear regression, variables were entered in blocks to predict CES-D scores. In the final block, the interaction of coping behavior and coping efficacy was tested.

Results: The response rate was 82.4% (n = 1227/1489). The mean CES-D score was 9.4, with 21.3% of individuals scoring >or= 16 (supporting depressed mood). Higher level of depressed mood was independently and significantly associated with being female, experiencing greater pain and fatigue, experiencing stressful life events, more coping behaviors, receiving treatment for depression/mental illness, and a coping behavior by coping efficacy interaction, with 63.4% of the variance accounted for in the model.

Conclusion: Among older adults with OA, the prevalence of depressive symptoms is high. Longitudinal studies must consider OA management strategies, including both the amount of behavioral coping and its perceived efficacy, to elucidate potential interventions designed to reduce depression in patients with OA.