Seniors With Digestive Disease More Likely to Have Loneliness, Depression
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Sept. 14, 2023 -- Older adults with a digestive disease are more likely to report loneliness and moderate-to-severe depression, both of which are associated with poor-to-fair health, according to a study published online Sept. 7 in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Shirley Cohen-Mekelburg, M.D., from Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor, and colleagues conducted an analysis of data from the Health and Retirement Study from 2008 to 2016 to examine the psychosocial factors contributing to a person's health. The frequency of loneliness, depression, and social isolation was compared for older adults with and without a digestive disease (3,979 and 3,131 respondents, respectively).
The researchers found that of the respondents with and without digestive disease, 60.4 and 55.6 percent reported loneliness, respectively; 12.7 and 7.5 percent reported severe depression, respectively; and 8.9 and 8.7 percent reported social isolation, respectively. Compared with those without digestive disease, patients with a digestive disease were more likely to report poor-or-fair health after adjusting for covariates (odds ratio, 1.25). Loneliness and moderate and severe depression were associated with greater odds of poor or fair health among those with a digestive disease (odds ratios, 1.43, 2.93, and 8.96, respectively).
"Being aware of the link between loneliness, depressive symptoms, and digestive diseases can really benefit your patients from a holistic perspective," Cohen-Mekelburg said in a statement.
One author disclosed ties to Natrol and F. Hoffmann-La Roche.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted September 2023
Read this next
Risk for Depressive Symptoms Increased for Perimenopausal Women
THURSDAY, May 9, 2024 -- Perimenopausal women have an increased risk for depressive symptoms and diagnoses, according to a review published in the July 15 issue of the Journal of...
Majority of U.S. Adults Give Health Care System a 'D' for Handling Mental Health
WEDNESDAY, May 8, 2024 -- Three-quarters of U.S. adults believe mental health issues are identified and treated worse than physical health issues, according to the results of a...
Mortality Risk Up for Cancer Survivors With Elevated Loneliness
MONDAY, May 6, 2024 -- Cancer survivors with elevated loneliness have a higher mortality risk, according to a study published online April 25 in the Journal of the National...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.