Poor performance on a composite mental health index predicts low handgrip strength and physical disabilities in Europe.

Objectives: Poor mental health affects physical health, but the combined effects of mental comorbidities on handgrip strength (HGS), fatigue, and activities of daily living are poorly known. We investigated the combined effects of anxiety, depression, and dementia on handgrip strength (HGS), fatigue, and activities of daily living.

Methods: A composite mental health index (CMHI) comprised of anxiety, depression, and dementia was created and used to predict future onset of low HGS (men ≤ 27 kg, women ≤ 16 kg), fatigue, and four physical difficulties (dressing, walking, climbing stairs, rising from a chair) in 64,244 European adults aged ≥50 from 27 countries using 2021-2022 Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) data.

Results: Poorer mental health, as indicated by higher quintiles on the CMHI, along with older age and female gender, were associated with increased occurrence of low HGS and physical difficulties. The odds ratio for low HGS increased from 1.14 (Q3) to 1.57 (Q4) and 3.11 (Q5) on the CMHI. Fatigue risk odds ratios rose from 2.03 (Q3) to 3.44 (Q4) and 8.89 (Q5). The odds of having low HGS, fatigue, and all four physical difficulties were 4.14 (Q4) and 28.36 (Q5). The increased risk of physical difficulties ranged from 1.0 % (low HGS) to 8.4 % (fatigue) in Q3, and 12.9 % (dressing) to 37.5 % (fatigue) in Q5.

Conclusion: The CMHI effectively predicted future low HGS, fatigue, and physical difficulties, highlighting the importance of frequent mental health screening for early identification of individuals at risk of functional decline.