Arthritis and physical-mental comorbidity in metropolitan China.
BACKGROUND
This study estimates psychiatric and physical comorbidity among people reporting arthritis and related role impairment in metropolitan China.


METHODS
Data were derived from a large-scale and representative household survey of adult respondents in Beijing and Shanghai. Arthritis and other chronic physical conditions were assessed by self-report. Mental disorders were assessed by the World Mental Health version of the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview.


RESULTS
Of the respondents reporting arthritis in Beijing (8.6%) and Shanghai (15.3%), the vast majority (Beijing, 85.2%; Shanghai, 79.9%) also reported at least one other comorbid condition, including chronic pain (Beijing, 73.4%; Shanghai, 64.8%), chronic physical diseases (Beijing, 54.7%; Shanghai, 57.2%), and mental disorders (Beijing, 10.5%; Shanghai, 10.0%). Arthritis was significantly associated with role impairment, but the association disappeared after controlling for demographic variables and comorbidities.


CONCLUSIONS
Physical-mental comorbidity is common and has important clinical and public health implications in China. Reasons for regional differences in prevalence and pattern of comorbidity require further study.
Lee
Sing
S
Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China. singlee@cuhk.edu.hk
Tsang
Adley
A
Huang
Yue-qin
YQ
Zhang
Ming-yuan
MY
Liu
Zhao-rui
ZR
He
Yan-ling
YL
Von Korff
Michael
M
Kessler
Ronald C
RC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*