Why Common Conditions Like Arthritis and IBS Are Linked to Depression

• New research finds that having multiple physical health conditions raises a person’s chances of developing depression and anxiety.
• Risk of depression was particularly high in people with multiple respiratory conditions, such as asthma and emphysema.
• People who had three physical health conditions were nearly twice as likely to develop depression within 4 to 6 years, compared with people who had no or only one physical health condition.

Roughly 4 in 10 adults in the United States live with two or more chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or chronic lung disease.

These conditions may affect not only physical health, but also mental well-being.

According to new research from King’s College London (KCL) in the United Kingdom, having multiple physical health conditions raises a person’s chances of developing depression and anxiety.

“Our large-scale analysis has shown that people with two or more physical health conditions are at greater risk of developing depression and anxiety later in life, compared with those who have none or one physical health condition,” lead author of the study, Amy Ronaldson, PhD, said in a statement. Ronaldson is a research associate at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at KCL.

The risk of developing depression was particularly high in people with multiple respiratory conditions, such as asthma and emphysema.

The risk was also notably high in people with a combination of gastrointestinal and pain disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome and arthritis.

“What is really interesting is that this risk seems to be greater in those with certain combinations of physical conditions,” said Ronaldson. “[This] has implications for how the integration of mental and physical healthcare should be implemented.”