FRIDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with multiple chronic diseases such as arthritis or diabetes are more likely to experience psychological distress with increasing disease severity, according to the results of a study published in the September/October issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
Martin Fortin, M.D., from Sherbrooke University in Quebec, Canada, and colleagues examined the relationship between psychological distress and multi-morbidity (having more than one chronic disease) in 238 patients with chronic diseases. Psychological distress was assessed through a psychiatric symptom questionnaire.
The researchers found that multi-morbidity was significantly related to psychological distress when using a scale that accounted for disease severity (odds ratio 1.67). The risk of psychological distress increased with disease severity, with an odds ratio of 4.67 for patients with the most severe disease, according to the study.
"Psychological distress increased with multi-morbidity when we accounted for disease severity," Fortin and colleagues conclude. "Clinicians should be aware of the possible presence of psychological distress, which can further complicate the comprehensive management of these complex patients."
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