Association between joint diseases and common mental disorders in women at ages related to menopause: Data from the São Paulo City Health Survey, SP, Brazil

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the association between joint diseases (JD) and common mental disorders (CMD) in women at ages related to menopause.

Study design: Cross-sectional, population-based study (São Paulo City Health Survey, SP, Brazil). The sample was composed of 1191 women, 40 years and older.

Main parameters investigated: Dependent variable (outcome): Presence of CMD, investigated by the Self Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20).

Independent variables: Presence of JD; other self-reported chronic conditions different from JD (OCC); age categories (40-45, 46-50, 51-55, 56-60, 61+ years old); Adjusting variables: years of formal education and ethnicity (skin color), used as proxies of socioeconomic status. The associations were investigated using simple and multiple logistic regression models.

Main results: The prevalence of CMD was 30.4%, and JD was 21.4%. Considering only the women presenting CMD, the prevalence of JD was 31.6%. The final regression model showed an independent association between JD and CMD (OR = 1.998; p < 0.001), age between 56 and 60 years (OR = 0.542; p = 0.018), and having three OCC (OR = 2.696; p = 0.027).

Conclusions: Our data showed that JD in women of the ages related to menopause was significantly and independently associated with CMD. Interestingly, the 56 to 60 years' age interval showed a very particular feature, with opposite association's direction, which demands further investigations.

Keywords: Common mental disorders; Joint diseases; Menopause transition.