A research group including master's student Toshimasa Furumura of Boston University School of Public Health, Associate Professor Kosuke Inoue and Professor Naoki Kondo of Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, and associate professor Yusuke Tsugawa of the University of California, Los Angeles, was conducted by the National Health Insurance Association. An examination of lifestyle-related disease preventive checkup results and medical receipt data revealed that cardiovascular diseases such as a stroke or myocardial infarction in a spouse increase the risk of depression.
Previous research has confirmed the existence of a link between cardiovascular disease and depression at the individual level, but the impact on family mental health has not been clearly examined.
According to Kyoto University, the research group selected 58.15 couples with an average age of 27 years from data from the National Health Insurance Association, and tracked data on lifestyle-related disease preventive checkups and medical claims for up to six years starting in 7,142.
The researchers found that having a spouse with cardiovascular disease increased the risk of depression by 13% compared to having no cardiovascular disease. No differences were found based on gender or age, and a stronger association was observed in cases of severe cardiovascular disease requiring hospitalization.
The number of cases of depression in Japan is on the rise, and is estimated to number over 100 million people. Based on the results of this survey, the research group found that providing comprehensive mental care to the families of patients with cardiovascular disease may lead to the prevention of depression, and that care should be taken not only for the patient but also for the patient's family. is expected to become important.
Paper information:[JAMA Network Open] Depression Onset After a Spouse's Cardiovascular Event
