Prevalence and recognition gap of depressive and anxiety symptoms in patients with inflammatory-rheumatic diseases – a single center experience

Our findings demonstrate a high prevalence of at least mild depressive (67.7%) and anxiety (49.6%) symptoms among patients with IRD with a substantial proportion remaining undiagnosed in routine care. Mental health screenings using standardized tools such as PHQ-9 and GAD-7 may help to identify patients at risk earlier. Particular attention should be paid to women and patients with connective tissue diseases, who appear to be at a higher risk for psychological distress.