Multiple Diseases Increase Risk of Depression, Study Shows
By Adebowale Bello. B.Tech Microbiology, Freelance Health Writer. Medically reviewed by the DLHA Editorial Team
Seniors aged 65 and above have higher odds of multimorbidity (or co-occurring disorders) for chronic diseases like, diabetes, ischaemic heart disease, hypertension, asthma, arthritis, and mood disorder.
Image credit: Freepik.
In many African homes today, someone is managing two or more illnesses at the same time, sometimes it may be diabetes and high blood pressure, arthritis and stroke or even HIV and asthma.
We enquire and oftentimes sympathise with our loved ones battling multiple diseases about the drugs they take, the frequency of their clinics visits and the cost of their treatment, but there’s something we often overlook which is their mental health.
A new UK study has now shown that people living with multiple chronic physical conditions are far more likely to develop depression. This isn’t about being weak or lazy. It’s about a real, measurable link between the body and the mind.
Researchers from the University of Edinburgh analysed data from 142,005 adults aged 37 to 73 who had at least one long-term physical illness. At the beginning of the study, none had depression, however over the next 10 years, the researchers followed their health records to track who developed depression and what medical conditions they already had.
Using a statistical method called k-modes clustering, they grouped people based on the illnesses they had. These “clusters” helped show how different disease combinations affected depression risk.
The study showed that there were some combinations of physical illnesses that make people far more likely to develop depression. Compared to people with no chronic illness, those with multiple conditions had a 29% to 167% higher risk of developing depression.
One of the most at-risk groups had conditions like chronic pain, fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome and they were 2.67 times more likely to get depression.
People living with both diabetes and heart disease were found to face a much higher risk of developing depression. The same applied to those dealing with chronic breathing problems like asthma or long-term lung damage.
Conditions affecting the liver and digestive system also showed a strong link to poor mental health across both men and women. Interestingly, women with joint and bone problems, such as arthritis, seemed to struggle more with depression than men with similar conditions.
In the groups with the highest risk, about one in every 12 people developed depression within ten years. By comparison, only one in 25 people without physical health issues experienced depression.
As Dr Lauren DeLong, the lead researcher, said: “We saw clear associations between physical health conditions and the development of depression…”
This study is based on UK data, but the message applies strongly across African countries.
In different African cities, more people are living with long-term (chronic) diseases, often more than one at a time, yet our varied healthcare systems still focus heavily on short-term communicable diseases care and emergencies.
When someone goes to the clinic for diabetes, they’re rarely asked about how they’re feeling emotionally but this study shows that mental health screening should be part of regular care for people with multiple illnesses.
Many people in Africa still believe depression is spiritual weakness or laziness, however this study confirms what researchers and health advocates have been saying that depression can be triggered by the physical and emotional stress of chronic disease.
If your aunt with hypertension and arthritis suddenly becomes withdrawn, tearful or stops taking her medication, it’s not just “old age” or “drama”. It could be depression brought on by the burden she’s carrying.
In most African settings, doctors and nurses are overworked. Mental health often gets pushed aside, especially if the clinic is crowded. But even basic tools like a short depression questionnaire could change things.
As Professor Bruce Guthrie, one of the researchers, said: “Healthcare often treats physical and mental health as completely different things, but this study shows that we need to get better at anticipating and managing depression in people with physical illness.”
Here are some practical steps that can work in the African context:
This study confirms what many have felt silently for years that living with multiple chronic illnesses doesn’t just affect the body, it deeply affects the mind. In Africa, where family support often replaces formal mental healthcare, we need to do better at noticing emotional distress.
If you or someone you love is living with long-term illnesses and feels sad, withdrawn or tired all the time, kindly encourage them to speak up because managing chronic illness isn’t just about pills and blood pressure, it’s also about peace of mind.
Sources:
Related:
Depression Aids Chronic Diseases and Earlier Death, Says Study
Published: June 17, 2025
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