Chronic Illness May Double Risk of Depression: Study Finds

New Delhi: People with multiple long-term physical health conditions face a significantly higher risk of developing depression, according to a new study published in Communications Medicine. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh found that certain combinations of chronic illnesses, particularly cardiometabolic conditions like heart disease and diabetes, can more than double the likelihood of a future depression diagnosis.

Using data from over 142,000 participants in the UK Biobank, the study examined how clusters of physical illnesses influence the risk of depression. Participants, aged 37 to 73, had at least one chronic physical condition but no prior history of depression. Over a 10-year follow-up, researchers tracked depression diagnoses and used statistical clustering techniques to analyze patterns in physical illness profiles.

The results revealed that people with the most complex health conditions—those without a single dominant illness but instead a mix of various issues—had the highest risk of developing depression. This group was followed closely by those with both diabetes and heart disease, as well as individuals suffering from chronic lung diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Liver and bowel conditions were also linked to an increased depression risk.

Notably, women with joint and bone disorders, such as arthritis, showed a heightened vulnerability to depression, a pattern less prominent in men. In the highest-risk groups, approximately one in 12 individuals developed depression within a decade, compared to about one in 25 among those without multimorbidity.

The study underscores the urgent need for healthcare systems to adopt integrated care models that consider both physical and mental health. While biological factors likely contribute, the researchers emphasize the role of social and systemic issues—such as healthcare access, socioeconomic stress, and the emotional burden of chronic illness—in driving poor mental health outcomes.

Lauren DeLong, lead author and PhD student at the University of Edinburgh's School of Informatics, said: "We saw clear associations between physical health conditions and the development of depression, but this study is only the beginning. We hope our findings inspire other researchers to investigate and untangle the links between physical and mental health conditions."

Reference: https://www.ed.ac.uk/news/multiple-chronic-illnesses-could-double-risk-of-depression