Pain and depression among adult outpatients with osteoarthritis in Nigeria: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Arthritis is a degenerative joint disease with many forms, but osteoarthritis is most common resulting from trauma or infection to the joint or aging. Depressive disorders often go undiagnosed especially in chronic physical illnesses like osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritic pain is associated with a high risk of depressive illness. This study evaluated the prevalence of major depression and its relationship with physical pain among patients with osteoarthritis. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 134 adult outpatients, with osteoarthritis at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. The demographic profile, subjective pain intensity, and diagnosis of major depression were obtained with a sociodemographic questionnaire, Visual Analog Pain Scale, and depressive module of Composite International Diagnostic Interview, respectively. Results: Thirty-seven (27.61%) and 40 (29.85%) participants had current and 12-month depressive disorder, respectively. A unit (year) increase in the illness duration was associated with a 68% increase in the likelihood of having depression (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.68, P = 0.044), while the presence of comorbidity was the only independent correlate of 12-month depression among the participants (aOR 0.11, P = 0.031). Subjective pain severity had no independent correlation with depressive disorder. Conclusion: Major depression is prevalent among patients with osteoarthritis. Clinicians should have a high index of suspicion of depressive disorder, especially in the presence of medical comorbidities and longer duration of illness.