Allostatic Load, Depressive Symptoms, and Risk of New-Onset Arthritis Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Prospective Study Based on CHARLS

Background

Arthritis is a major cause of pain, functional limitation, and disability among middle-aged and older adults. Although allostatic load (AL) and depressive symptoms have each been linked to adverse health outcomes, prospective evidence on their independent and joint associations with incident arthritis remains limited, particularly in Chinese populations.