Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic poses an unprecedented challenge to mental wellbeing globally, with studies demonstrating a higher burden of depression and anxiety in the general population1. Patients with inflammatory arthritis represent a vulnerable population, where comorbid mental health conditions are under-recognised, under-treated, and have been associated with reduced remission rates and poorer quality of life2,3. The prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with inflammatory arthritis during the Australian COVID-19 experience and the impact on their disease activity remains to be seen.
Objectives: (1) To ascertain the prevalence of self-reported depression and anxiety in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) during the COVID-19 pandemic in an Australian centre. (2) To evaluate subjective and objective measures of disease activity during the COVID-19 pandemic and their relationship with self-reported depression and anxiety. (3) To evaluate the multidimensional health assessment questionnaire (MDHAQ) in screening for depression and anxiety in comparison to the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS).
Methods: Patients with a primary diagnosis of RA or PsA were mailed the MDHAQ and HADS questionnaires prior to their routine scheduled Rheumatology TeleHealth appointment. Self-reported depression or anxiety was classified as scoring 8 or more on the HADS questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to report point prevalence of self-reported depression and anxiety. RAPID-3, self-reported joint count, ESR and CRP were compared between patients with and without self-reported depression and anxiety. Percent agreement and kappa statistics were used to quantify agreement between two MDHAQ items related to depression and anxiety and a HADS score of 8 or more.
Results: to follow