LAUSR

BACKGROUND Fibromyalgia has been associated with various physical and mental disorders. However, these comorbidities need to be quantified in a population-based study. METHOD We compared participants with and without self-reported fibromyalgia to assess (1) The prevalence of self-reported fibromyalgia and its sociodemographic characteristics in a US representative sample, (2) The associations between self-reported fibromyalgia and lifetime and past 12-months mental and physical disorders, and (3) The quality of life associated with self-reported fibromyalgia. This cross-sectional study used a large national sample (n=36,309) of the US population, the NESARC-III. Face to face interviews were conducted, collecting socio-demographic characteristics, DSM-5 structured diagnosis, and self-reported medical conditions (including fibromyalgia). RESULTS The past 12 months prevalence of self-reported fibromyalgia was estimated at 2.05%. Participants with self-reported fibromyalgia were significantly at higher risk to report a lifetime history of mental disorder (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.32). Self-reported fibromyalgia was also positively associated with 24 of the 27 physical conditions assessed in this study. Participants with self-reported fibromyalgia were more likely to report a past 12-months history of suicide attempts (aOR = 5.81), substance use disorders (aOR = 1.40), mood disorders (aOR = 2.67), anxiety disorders (aOR = 2.75) and eating disorders (aOR = 2.45). Participants with self-reported fibromyalgia had lower levels of both mental and physical quality of life than those without fibromyalgia. CONCLUSIONS Participants with self-reported fibromyalgia have a higher prevalence of comorbid mental and physical disorders, and lower mean levels of mental and physical quality of life than their counterparts without fibromyalgia.