Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: To identify domain-specific factors associated with mental, physical, and global health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and their relative contribution, among adults reporting past-year depression in the EU5.
METHODS: Data were from the 2025 European National Health and Wellness Survey. Adults reporting past-year depression were included. HRQoL was assessed using RAND-36 Mental Health Composite (MHC), Physical Health Composite (PHC), and Global Health Composite (GHC) T-scores. Anxiety and chronic pain were self-reported comorbid conditions. Multivariable linear models adjusted for PHQ-9, anxiety, chronic pain, age, sex, country, body mass index, and employment status. Relative contribution was assessed using partial eta-squared from Type III tests.
RESULTS: Among 386 adults reporting depression, 366 had complete data. Higher PHQ-9 scores were associated with lower MHC (beta=-1.14; 95% CI, -1.28 to -1.01), PHC (beta=-0.71; 95% CI, -0.87 to -0.55), and GHC (beta=-1.08; 95% CI, -1.22 to -0.94; all p<0.0001). Anxiety was associated with lower MHC (beta=-2.21; 95% CI, -3.97 to -0.45; p=0.014) and GHC (beta=-2.44; 95% CI, -4.30 to -0.59; p=0.010), but not PHC. Chronic pain was associated with lower PHC (beta=-8.10; 95% CI, -10.92 to -5.28; p<0.0001) and GHC (beta=-5.23; 95% CI, -7.70 to -2.76; p<0.0001), but not MHC. PHQ-9 had the largest relative contribution to MHC, PHC, and GHC (partial eta-squared=0.454, 0.182, and 0.399). Among comorbidities, anxiety contributed more to MHC, whereas chronic pain contributed more to PHC and GHC.
CONCLUSIONS: Among EU5 adults reporting depression, depressive symptom severity was the dominant correlate of HRQoL, while anxiety and chronic pain showed domain-specific associations. These findings support assessment of psychiatric and physical comorbidities when managing depression-related burden.