A study published in PLOS Medicine suggests that adults with a history of depression recover their physical condition faster than those without the disorder, emphasizing the need for comprehensive healthcare strategies.
Depression is a widespread mental disorder linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, including diabetes. While most studies focus on single diseases, Kelly Fleetwood and her team aimed to assess the broader impact of depression on physical health. Their research examined how quickly individuals with depression develop new illnesses in middle and older age.
Analyzing data from 172,556 individuals aged 40 to 71 in the UK Biobank, researchers found that participants with depression had more comorbidities at baseline than those without the disorder. Over nearly seven years, they developed new conditions at an accelerated rate, including osteoarthritis (15.7% vs. 12.5%), hypertension (12.9% vs. 12.0%), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (13.8% vs. 9.6%).
The study underscores that depression affects not just mental well-being but overall physical health, necessitating an integrated treatment model. As the authors state, “we need health services to take a holistic approach to caring for people suffering from both depression and long-term physical disorders.” Addressing depression as a systemic condition rather than an isolated mental disorder could improve long-term patient outcomes.
