Depression and reactivity to stress in older women with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of depressive symptoms in reactivity to stress and pain in older women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). Participants were 188 older women with RA (N = 87) and OA (N = 101). They were initially assessed for depressive symptoms a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychosomatic medicine 2001-07, Vol.63 (4), p.687-696
Main Authors: Zautra, A J, Smith, B W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Arousal
Arthritis, Rheumatoid - psychology
Depression - diagnosis
Depression - psychology
Female
Humans
Middle Aged
Osteoarthritis - psychology
Pain Measurement
Personality Assessment
Sick Role
Somatoform Disorders - diagnosis
Somatoform Disorders - psychology
Stress, Psychological - complications
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Summary:The purpose of this study was to examine the role of depressive symptoms in reactivity to stress and pain in older women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). Participants were 188 older women with RA (N = 87) and OA (N = 101). They were initially assessed for depressive symptoms and interviewed weekly for 12 to 20 weeks regarding interpersonal stress, arthritis pain, and negative affect. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) revealed that depressive symptoms were related to weekly elevations in arthritis pain, negative events, perceived stress, and negative affect for RA respondents and elevations in arthritis pain and negative affect for OA respondents. HLM analyses also indicated that depressive symptoms were related to increased reactivity to perceived stress and arthritis pain in people with RA, but not those with OA. Depression may be related to elevations in pain for people with RA and OA and to elevations in stress and increased reactivity to stress and pain for those with RA.
ISSN:0033-3174
DOI:10.1097/00006842-200107000-00022