Explaining the gap in the experience of depression among arthritis patients

Objective To explain the factors contributing to the gap in depression between employed arthritis patients with and without paid sick leave. Methods Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition analysis was used to identify factors that explain the gap in the experience of depressive symptoms among arthritis patients with paid and unpaid sick leave. Data from the 2018 National Health Interview Survey, USA, was used. Results A total of 7189 of the NHIS survey participants given the diagnosis of arthritis were identified, of which 39% were male and 61% were female, with mean age of 63.5 years. The decomposition findings suggest patients in the unpaid sick leave group were more likely to report depressive symptoms compared to patients with paid sick leave. The major contributors to the gap in the report of depressive symptoms are sex (female) and annual income (less than 35,000 USD). Conclusion Findings suggest that the absence of paid sick leave is a key determinant for experiencing depressive symptoms among individuals with arthritis. The provision of paid sick leave may reduce report of depressive symptoms among employed arthritis patients in the USA.

Automated summary

This study utilized data from the 2018 National Health Interview Survey in the USA to demonstrate that arthritis patients without paid sick leave are more likely to report depressive symptoms, with major contributing factors being gender (female) and annual income (less than 35,000 USD).