The Rheumatologist
COVID-19 News
  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed
  • Home
  • Conditions
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • SLE (Lupus)
    • Crystal Arthritis
      • Gout Resource Center
    • Spondyloarthritis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Soft Tissue Pain
    • Scleroderma
    • Vasculitis
    • Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes
    • Guidelines
  • Resource Centers
    • Ankylosing Spondylitis Resource Center
    • Gout Resource Center
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
    • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
  • Drug Updates
    • Biologics & Biosimilars
    • DMARDs & Immunosuppressives
    • Topical Drugs
    • Analgesics
    • Safety
    • Pharma Co. News
  • Professional Topics
    • Ethics
    • Legal
    • Legislation & Advocacy
    • Career Development
      • Certification
      • Education & Training
    • Awards
    • Profiles
    • President’s Perspective
    • Rheuminations
  • Practice Management
    • Billing/Coding
    • Quality Assurance/Improvement
    • Workforce
    • Facility
    • Patient Perspective
    • Electronic Health Records
    • Apps
    • Information Technology
    • From the College
    • Multimedia
      • Audio
      • Video
  • Resources
    • Issue Archives
    • ACR Convergence
      • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
      • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
      • Gout Resource Center
      • Abstracts
      • Meeting Reports
      • ACR Convergence Home
    • American College of Rheumatology
    • ACR ExamRheum
    • Research Reviews
    • ACR Journals
      • Arthritis & Rheumatology
      • Arthritis Care & Research
      • ACR Open Rheumatology
    • Rheumatology Image Library
    • Treatment Guidelines
    • Rheumatology Research Foundation
    • Events
  • About Us
    • Mission/Vision
    • Meet the Authors
    • Meet the Editors
    • Contribute to The Rheumatologist
    • Subscription
    • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Search
You are here: Home / Articles / Depression in Ankylosing Spondylitis: Mastery Is Key

Depression in Ankylosing Spondylitis: Mastery Is Key

December 13, 2019 • By Lara C. Pullen, PhD

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version / Save PDF

Multiple factors can influence the development of depression. In both the general population and patients with chronic disease, studies have shown that a history of depression is an important risk factor for future depression. In contrast, individuals who perceive they have control over things in their lives—a condition called mastery—tend to be resistant to depression. Generally, a higher sense of mastery is associated with better mental and physical wellbeing.1

You Might Also Like
  • Imagining a Life Free from the Pain of Ankylosing Spondylitis
  • Tracking Bone Deterioration in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis
  • Letters: UCLA Study on HLA-B27 Link with Ankylosing Spondylitis at Forefront
Also By This Author
  • DNA Methylation Modifies Genetic Risk for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Research has also examined if factors specific to certain medical conditions can influence the development of depression in conjunction with the medical condition. Example: An analysis of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) revealed that being employed was associated with better mental and physical wellbeing, as well as decreased depression.2

ad goes here:advert-1
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

A recent study indicates that depression in AS patients is a result of both contextual and disease-related factors, similarly to depression in the general population. Casper Webers, MD, a rheumatologist at Maastricht University Medical Center, The Netherlands, and colleagues found a patient’s mastery plays a key role in depression in those with AS. The findings, published Oct. 21 in Arthritis Research & Therapy, support the use of self-efficacy in AS disease management and patient education.3

The investigators performed a cross-sectional study of a representative cohort of 245 Dutch patients with AS. The patients completed the Social Participation in Ankylosing Spondylitis Study (SPASS) surveys and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Subscale (HADS-D). The cohort had a median HADS-D score of 3, and approximately one-fifth of the patients had an HADS-D score greater than 8, indicating possible depression.

ad goes here:advert-2
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

The researchers created an initial theoretical model of depression in AS based on biological plausibility and existing evidence. They took this baseline model and subjected it to two further specifications. They removed non-significant paths, such as age and alcohol use, and they explored indirect paths between contextual factors and disease-related factors in a step-by-step manner to determine if these factors could improve the model’s explanatory power.

The resulting, refined model indicated that having mastery, being male, being employed and having a history of depression were all directly associated with depressive symptoms. Other contextual factors associated with depressive symptoms were having a lower income, defined as an annual income of less than €40,000, and less satisfaction with social role participation as measured by the Social Role Participation Questionnaire.

The investigators performed a final iteration of the model and dropped the non-significant path from education to depression. They also added the indirect paths from the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, income and social role participation to depression via mastery. They found this last version of the model explained 64% of the variance in the latent depression outcome.

ad goes here:advert-3
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

Pages: 1 2 | Single Page

Filed Under: Conditions, Spondyloarthritis Tagged With: Ankylosing Spondylitis, AS Resource Center, Depression, mastery

You Might Also Like:
  • Imagining a Life Free from the Pain of Ankylosing Spondylitis
  • Tracking Bone Deterioration in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis
  • Letters: UCLA Study on HLA-B27 Link with Ankylosing Spondylitis at Forefront
  • Clinical Trials Confirm Secukinumab Can Effectively Treat Ankylosing Spondylitis

Simple Tasks

Learn more about the ACR’s public awareness campaign and how you can get involved. Help increase visibility of rheumatic diseases and decrease the number of people left untreated.

Visit the Simple Tasks site »

Meeting Abstracts

Browse and search abstracts from the ACR Convergence and ACR/ARP Annual Meetings going back to 2012.

Visit the Abstracts site »

ACR Convergence

Don’t miss rheumatology’s premier scientific meeting for anyone involved in research or the delivery of rheumatologic care or services.

Visit the ACR Convergence site »

The Rheumatologist newsmagazine reports on issues and trends in the management and treatment of rheumatic diseases. The Rheumatologist reaches 11,500 rheumatologists, internists, orthopedic surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who practice, research, or teach in the field of rheumatology.

About Us / Contact Us / Advertise / Privacy Policy / Terms of Use

  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed

Copyright © 2006–2021 American College of Rheumatology. All rights reserved.

ISSN 1931-3268 (print)
ISSN 1931-3209 (online)

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
This site uses cookies: Find out more.