Women of all ages and younger men with certain mood disorders are more likely to develop certain chronic illnesses, according to new research.
Researchers from a retrospective study published in JAMA Network Open magazine analyzed health data from 40,360 adults in Olmsted County, Minnesota, Rochester Epidemiology Project medical records connection system. This database collects ongoing medical information from people living in the county.
The research team divided adults into three age groups by sex: 20, 40 and 60. Each participant was ranked based on whether they celebrated those ages’ birthdays between 2005 and 2014. The study also included a follow-up on December 31, 2017.
Participants were divided into four groups: those with anxiety; depression; anxiety and depression; or neither of the two diagnoses.
Women in all three age groups and men in their 20s who had both depression and anxiety, or depression alone had a significantly higher risk of developing a chronic condition, compared with participants without anxiety or depression.
Some of the 15 chronic conditions observed in the study included hypertension, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and most cancers.
“We tend to think of young people as vital, fit and healthy. We also tend to think that chronic medical conditions only affect older people. Unfortunately, for people who suffer from mental illness, the reality can be quite different,” said Jasmin Wertz, a professor of psychology in the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, UK, who was not involved in the project. study.
Of all the women in the study, women in their 20s were more likely to develop chronic illness if they had anxiety and depression, with a more than 61% increase in risk compared with participants without any mental disorders.
Women in their 60s were less likely to have anxiety only, with a more than 5% increase in risk compared with participants without anxiety or depression.
Of the men in the study, those with anxiety and depression in the 20-year-old group were more likely to develop a chronic condition, with an increased risk of nearly 72% compared to the control group, and men with anxiety in the 60-year-old group. were less likely to have more than an 8% reduction in risk.
Possible explanations for the disparities
The research team was unable to determine why women were more likely to be affected than men, but there are a few possible hypotheses, said study author William Bobo, a professor of psychiatry and chair and consultant to the department of psychiatry and psychology. of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.
There are sex differences in the frequency of diagnosed depressive and anxiety disorders and that may have played a role,” he said.
Women are more likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder than men and twice as likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. diagnosed with depressionaccording to the Mayo Clinic.
Hormonal, biological and psychological factors may also play a role, added Bobo.
Participants with anxiety and depression were also affected by several chronic conditions, not just one or two, Wertz said.
More people can be affected
The study did not include chronic illnesses that people already had when they entered the study, but rather analyzed the data collected at each milestone, said Kyle Bourassa, lead researcher at the Center for Research, Education and Clinic in Geriatrics at the Durham VA Health Care System in Carolina. From north. He did not participate in the study.
Someone who is in their 60s may have had anxiety and/or depression for most of their life and has already developed chronic illness in their 60s because of it, he explained.
“This was a good decision to be cautious with the study estimates, but it could also result in underestimating the effect among the elderly studied here,” Bourassa said.
More than 86% of the participants were white, which is another limiting factor, according to Wertz.
There are large racial and ethnic disparities in mental and physical health because people who come from these minorities often lack access to quality health care, she said.
This means that people with racial and ethnic minority backgrounds may have a greater association between anxiety and depression, which could translate to a higher risk of developing chronic conditions than reported, Wertz explained.
How to lower your risk
There are behavioral and pharmacological treatments for anxiety and depression, which have been shown to improve patient well-being, Bourassa said.
Findings from this study suggest that these treatments can also improve physical health, especially when people are younger, he said.
Include physical activity, mindful meditation and sleep in their daily routine has also been shown to decrease anxiety and depression, according to Bourassa.
In addition to these activities, avoiding smoking and drinking heavily can help lower your risk of developing a chronic condition, he said.
If you feel like you might have anxiety or depression, talk to your doctor or therapist to create a treatment plan, Wertz said. The National Alliance for Mental Health from the United States also has a helpline, she added.
Source: CNN Brasil
