Researchers of a recent study assessed the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in adolescents aged 12 to 18 years with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) using the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS), which includes various subscales representing different mental health disorders. They compared demographic and disease-related variables between participants who scored above and below the clinical threshold on each subscale using statistical tests.
The results showed that 40% of the participants scored above the clinical threshold on at least one subscale, with the most common subscales being major depressive disorder (23.8%) and panic disorder (22.5%). Social phobia and separation anxiety were also prevalent, with scores above the clinical threshold in 16.3% and 13.8% of participants, respectively. The study concludes that there is a high prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, particularly panic disorder, in adolescents with JIA, emphasizing the ongoing need for mental health screening and support services for these individuals.
Reference: Li L, Merchant M, Gordon S, Lang B, Ramsey S, Huber AM, Gillespie J, Lovas D, Stringer E. High Rates of Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder and Panic Disorder in a Canadian Sample of Adolescents With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. J Rheumatol. 2023 Jun;50(6):804-808. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.220067.
