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Major
depression strikes nearly one in five African Americans and
Hispanics who have osteoarthritis.
Major
depression is characterized by depressed mood and/or the loss
of interest or pleasure in most activities for a period of
at least two weeks.
Researcher
Dr. Luis Espinoza, of the department of medicine at Louisiana
State University, said the findings underscore the importance
of screening osteoarthritis patients for depression and monitoring
their symptoms during pain treatment.
"If
depression symptoms do not improve with pain treatment, clinicians
may consider a treatment specifically for depression,"
added Espinoza.
The study
involved 322 African Americans and 318 Hispanics diagnosed
with osteoarthritis whose level of depression was assessed
by a standard screening tool to diagnose psychiatric disorders.
Major
depression was found in 19.3 percent of American Americans
and 19.2 percent of Hispanics. Among patients who reported
any depressive symptoms, 73 percent of African Americans and
65 percent of Hispanics reported that the symptoms made it
at least somewhat difficult to function.
The results
of the study were presented May 21 at the American Psychiatric
Association (APA) annual meeting in San Francisco.
Source:
Arthritis Week
of June 1, 2003
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