Mental Health
Comorbid Depression and Anxiety in U.S. Adults: A Data-Driven Exploration of Predictive Correlates Debbie Huang* Debbie Huang Huang Huang Huang Huang California State University, Long Beach
Depressive and anxiety disorders are highly comorbid and are linked with worse prognosis and greater disease burden. Identification of unique characteristics associated with comorbid depression-anxiety vs. either condition alone may aid clinical screening. Yet, efforts to examine an extensive range of factors for comorbid depression-anxiety are limited. We used the 2022 IPUMS-National Health Interview Survey dataset to identify factors most strongly associated with screening positive for both depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-8 score≥10) and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 score≥10) vs. a single condition only among adult respondents (18+) using Lasso binary logistic regression. Model selection of the sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical features was informed by previous literature. Among the 921 respondents who screened positive for either depression or anxiety (9%), 44% screened positive for both. Of the 38 examined predictors, 16 were retained. Residing outside of the Eastern region of the U.S., current marital status, family income below the poverty line, military experience, receipt of food stamps/SNAP, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, history of chronic fatigue syndrome, greater functional disability, and lower life satisfaction were associated with higher odds of comorbidity. Older age, non-Hispanic Asian, having a usual place for medical care, and engaging in volunteer work were associated with lower odds. Some categories– household size, educational attainment, and general health status – were associated with lower odds and some with greater odds vs. the reference group. This data driven variable selection approach identified a unique set of factors, a few less described in the literature (e.g., volunteer work), that specifically characterize comorbid depression-anxiety. These findings may aid efficient screening for these conditions and inform research to further understand risk factors for comorbidity.