The Associations Between Depression, Health-Related Quality of Life, Social Support, Life Satisfaction, and Disability in Community-Dwelling US Adults

The purpose of this manuscript is to describe the associations among current depression, as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire 8, health-related quality of life, social support, life satisfaction, and disability status, using the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. A dose-response relationship exists between depression severity and mean number of days in the past 30 days of physical distress, pain, anxiety symptoms, and activity limitations as well as the prevalence of fair/poor general health, life dissatisfaction, inadequate social support, and disability. These profound associations underscore the need for recognition and treatment of depression in all healthcare settings.