Hoarding disorder and co-occurring medical conditions: A systematic review

Hoarding disorder (HD) is relatively common within the community but remains notoriously difficult to treat, a phenomenon that could be related, at least in part, to the number of medical diagnoses typically co-occurring with the condition. In an effort to examine the potential link between treatment ambivalence in hoarding and certain co-occurring medical diagnoses, what follows is a comprehensive review of the empirical literature addressing HD, physical health, and medical conditions. A systematic search of scholarly databases (i.e., PubMed, PsycInfo, Google Scholar) identified nine relevant articles for review. Broadly, the research suggests that individuals with hoarding behaviors suffer from poorer health than those without hoarding tendencies, although clinically significant hoarding and levels of physical health were defined differently across studies. The review also identifies clinical correlates that could account for the link between HD and co-occurring medical conditions, such as obesity, impulsivity, executive dysfunction, and emotion regulation. Preliminary bidirectional hypotheses of HD and co-occurring medical conditions are presented in an effort to guide future research and theory-building in this area. Finally, limitations, directions for future research, and clinical implications are also discussed.