Arthritis linked with mental conditions.

• Position: Personality Disorders - Brief article

Significant correlations have been found between arthritis and depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses by researchers at the American Pain Society, Glenview, Ill. Their study sampled U.S. adults who completed the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule, which includes reports about arthritis and related chronic medical conditions. Numerous studies have demonstrated that pain conditions and psychiatric disorders are positively associated.

Further, comorbid arthritis and psychopathology have been linked to increased disability, reduced quality of life, and higher use of health care services. The authors note that, in light of previous findings, anxiety disorders warrant more attention relative to...