Anxiety and depression in Slovak patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
BACKGROUND
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is significantly associated with psychiatric morbidity. Mental health conditions are often unrecognized and untreated in primary care.


OBJECTIVE
To assess prevalence of anxiety and depression and their impact on arthritis pain and functional disability in Slovak patients with rheumatoid arthritis.


METHODS
Anxiety was assessed by the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), depression by the Zung self-rating depression scale (SDS), pain by the visual analog scale (VAS) and functional disability by the health assessment questionnaire - disability index (HAQ-DI) in 142 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Spearman's rho was calculated to assess relations between variables. Stepwise linear regression analysis was used to assess impact of anxiety and depression on arthritis pain and functional disability.


RESULTS
High prevalence of anxiety and depression was observed in arthritis patients. Anxiety and depression were significant predictors of arthritis pain and functional disability. Sex, education, marital status, disease duration and comorbidity had no impact on arthritis pain and functional disability.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings support the notions that psychological negative affect can influence subjective perception of arthritis pain and disability. The regular screening of anxiety and depression and the psychological approaches can be useful for managing arthritis patients.
a Department of Nursing Care and.
Mária Sováriová
MS
Soósová
b 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine , Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice , Košice , Slovakia.
Želmíra
Ž
Macejová
a Department of Nursing Care and.
Mária
M
Zamboriová
a Department of Nursing Care and.
Lucia
L
Dimunová
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D018154:Slovakia; D055815:Young Adult
Anxiety; depression; functional disability; mental health; pain; rheumatoid arthritis