The impact of socioeconomic status on the link between osteoarthritis and the onset of common comorbidities

Objectives The temporal relationship between osteoarthritis and comorbidity is unclear and may vary with socioeconomic status. The aims of this study were to identify if osteoarthritis was associated with onset of common comorbidities, and if the association was moderated by deprivation. Methods Prospective cohort study combining questionnaire and medical record data (n=3910). Associations between osteoarthritis and onset of comorbidity at three year follow-up were examined using regression models. Interaction terms and stratified analysis were used to examine moderation. Results Osteoarthritis was associated with onset of all comorbidities (p