Experimental studies that evaluated the effect of patient education programmes, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), depression care and pharmacological interventions and exercise therapy on depression in participants with osteoarthritis were included. Studies of people with arthritis were included if most participants had osteoarthritis. The primary outcome of interest was depression.
Study designs included uncontrolled, controlled and randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Included interventions comprised educational, physical, psychological (such as CBT) or pharmacological therapy combined with depression care. Exercise programmes employed included Tai Chi, strength training, aquatic exercise, kinaesthesia and balance exercises. The number of sessions ranged from four to 20. Where reported, mean age of participants ranged from 50 to 69 years. Various tools for assessment of depression were used and included Center for Epidemiological Studies - Depression (CES-D) scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), SF-36 and Hopkins Symptom Checklist; cut-offs varied.
Two reviewers independently screened articles for inclusion.