To examine the relationship between depressive symptoms and incident activities of daily living (ADL) disability among older adults with symptomatic arthritis.
Key Findings:
Higher CES-D scores were significantly associated with an increased risk of ADL disability in both cohorts.
Each 1-point increase in CES-D score was linked to a 7% higher risk in ELSA and a 10% higher risk in HRS.
Participants with depression had a substantially elevated risk of ADL disability compared to those without depression.
Physical activity partially mediated the association, accounting for approximately 9.1% of the effect in ELSA and 5.0% in HRS.
Interpretation:
Depressive symptoms were independently associated with an increased risk of ADL disability among older adults with symptomatic arthritis, with a clear dose-response relationship observed.
Limitations:
Potential biases due to competing mortality risks not being fully accounted for in some prior studies.
Limited exploration of non-linear relationships between depression severity and ADL disability risk.
Conclusion:
Depressive symptoms are a significant risk factor for ADL disability in older adults with symptomatic arthritis, emphasizing the need for integrated mental health and lifestyle interventions.
