Depression promotes health problems in the elderly

We know for decades that mental health shapes our physical well-being, and vice versa, researchers still continue to tease the specific situations and mechanisms that promote this symbiotic relationship. But. It's thorough now New research projectsCovering over 170,000 participants reveals a strong link between depression Long-term physical health issues.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh and Dundee University found that middle-aged and elderly people with a history of depression are much more likely to develop chronic health conditions than their non-depression peers, and at a faster rate. I discovered it was expensive.

Most existing research into mental and physical health conditions is cross-sectional. these the study It has been revealed that about one in five people in their physical state is depressed. And the more physical condition someone has, the more likely they are to sink into depression.

That being said, Cross-sectional study Depression and physical health can affect each other in both directions, and thus remains difficult to decipher.

Meanwhile, a cohort study found (mostly) that depression at the start of the study was linked to physical problems later. However, these studies have some issues. Many people use surveys photographed at various points, and participants with the disease are more likely to drop out or die, potentially distorting the results.

Additionally, these studies have typically only looked at some physical conditions between 3 and 15, but recent studies have covered over 50 conditions for a more clear measure of multiplex. It was suggested that the scope would be expanded to.

Research the overview and methods

The latest survey results are UK biobank (UKB) Cohort Study reinforces the urgent need for healthcare systems to consider a more integrated approach to simultaneously manage mental and physical health outcomes.

The authors of this study looked at participant data. The age changed between 40 and 71 years old. They then followed 69 long-term physical health status based on primary care, hospital, cancer registry, and death records. Almost 18% of participants had a diagnosis of depression prior to the start of the study.

“At the start of the study, people with no previous diagnosis of depression had an average of two long-term physical health conditions, while those with previous diagnosis had an average of three such conditions,” the study said. The person writes.

Even after adjusting for sociodemographic factors, participants with depression were tolerated with a 30% higher incidence of physical health.

The most common conditions included hypertension, allergic rhinitis, and osteoarthritis. Furthermore, those with a history of depression showed increased anxiety and alcohol misuse.

Impact on healthcare

The results show that caregivers must recognize depression as a systemic condition.

“People who have experienced depression are more likely to develop long-term physical health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis. However, existing health care systems are subject to individuals with multiple conditions. It is designed to treat individual conditions, not people,” explained Kelly Fleetwood, statistician at the Usher Institute. press release. “We need health services to take an integrated approach to caring for people suffering from both depression and long-term physical health.”

This study also highlights the importance of preventive care. Modifying risk factors such as smoking, high body mass index (BMI), and low physical activity contribute to a higher proportion of physical illness among people with depression, so interventions targeting these will be future may suppress health complications.

The study also provides strong evidence that anyone with a history of depression is at a higher risk of developing multiple long-term health conditions. The authors of this study call for healthcare systems to move past siloed treatments and instead adopt a more integrated healthcare approach.

Furthermore, targeted prevention strategies that address lifestyle risk factors can play a pivotal role in reducing the overall burden of multiples.

With the ever-increasing prevalence of both depression and chronic diseases, adopting these integrated care models can help improve outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

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