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Depression and anxiety in rheumatoid arthritis: The role of perceived social support

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Abstract

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis is a common, disabling, autoimmune disease with significant psychiatric sequelae.

Aims

We aimed to identify the prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with rheumatoid arthritis attending hospitals, and to elucidate the role played by illness variables, disability variables and psychosocial variables in predicting levels of depression and anxiety.

Methods

We assessed depression, anxiety, arthritis-related pain, arthritis-related disability and perceived social support in 68 adults with rheumatoid arthritis.

Results

Sixty-five per cent of patients had evidence of depression (37.5% moderate or severe) and 44.4% had evidence of anxiety (17.8% moderate or severe). Both depression and anxiety were highly correlated with several measures of arthritis-related pain and functional impairment. After controlling for age, gender, marital status and duration of arthritis, perceived social support was a highly significant independent predictor of both depression and anxiety.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that increasing social support may be particularly important in the management of depression and anxiety in rheumatoid arthritis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept of Adult Psychiatry, University College Dublin, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, 62/63 Eccles Street, Dublin 7

    Y. Zyrianova, B. D. Kelly & J. Sheehan

  2. Lucena Clinic, St John of God Service, Sessa House, Vevay Road, Bray, Co Wicklow

    Y. Zyrianova

  3. Dept of Psychology, University College, Dublin

    C. Gallagher

  4. Dept of Rheumatology, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7

    C. McCarthy

  5. Dept of Rheumatology, University College Hospital, Cork

    M. G. Molloy

  6. Dept of Psychiatry, University College, Cork

    T. G. Dinan

Authors
  1. Y. Zyrianova
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  2. B. D. Kelly
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  3. C. Gallagher
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  4. C. McCarthy
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  5. M. G. Molloy
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  6. J. Sheehan
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  7. T. G. Dinan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to B. D. Kelly.

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Zyrianova, Y., Kelly, B.D., Gallagher, C. et al. Depression and anxiety in rheumatoid arthritis: The role of perceived social support. Ir J Med Sci 175, 32–36 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03167946

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