• Shae E Quirk, Renée El-Gabalawy, Sharon L Brennan, James M Bolton, Jitender Sareen, Michael Berk, Andrew M Chanen, Julie A Pasco, and Lana J Williams.
• IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, School of Medicine, Deakin University, C/-Barwon Health, Ryrie Street, PO 281, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia, shae.quirk@barwonhealth.org.au.
• Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2015 May 1; 50 (5): 807-20.

PurposeThere is a paucity of research examining the relationship between personality disorders (PDs) and chronic physical comorbidities. Consequently, we investigated associations between individual PDs and PD Clusters, and various common disease groups [cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, arthritis and gastrointestinal disease (GI)] in a nationally representative survey of adults from the United States.MethodsThis study utilized pooled data (n = 34,653; ≥20 years) from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. PDs were assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Physical conditions were based on self-reports of being diagnosed by a health professional. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regressions examined the relationship between PDs and physical conditions.ResultsAfter adjustment (sociodemographic factors, past-year mood, anxiety and substance use disorders), Clusters A, B and C PDs were each associated with physical conditions (all p ≤ 0.01). Of the individual PDs, schizoid, schizotypal, narcissistic, borderline and obsessive-compulsive PDs were associated with CVD (all p ≤ 0.01) among younger adults. Paranoid, antisocial, borderline and avoidant PDs and younger adults with schizoid, schizotypal and obsessive-compulsive PDs were each associated with arthritis (all p ≤ 0.01). Significant associations were seen between paranoid, schizoid and schizotypal PDs and diabetes (all p ≤ 0.01). Finally, schizotypal, antisocial, borderline and narcissistic PDs were associated with GI conditions (all p ≤ 0.01).ConclusionsPDs were consistently associated with physical conditions. Investigation of PDs and their relationship with physical health outcomes warrant further research attention as these findings have important clinical implications.

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