Symptoms of anxiety and depression: A comparison among patients with different chronic conditions

Noushin Bayat, Gholam Hossein Alishiri, Ahmad Salimzadeh, Morteza Izadi, Davoud Kazemi Saleh, Maryam Moghani Lankarani, Shervin Assari

Abstract


  • BACKGROUND: Although patients with chronic diseases are at high-risk for symptoms of anxiety and depression, few studies have compared patients with different chronic conditions by this means. This study aimed to compare patients with different chronic medical conditions in terms of anxiety and depression symptoms after controlling for the effect of socio-demographic and clinical data.
  • METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 2234 adults, either healthy (n = 362) or patients with chronic medical conditions (n = 1872). Participants were recruited from the outpatient clinic of Baqiyatallah Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Patients had one of the following five medical conditions: coronary artery disease (n = 675), renal transplantation (n = 383), chronic hemodialysis (n = 68), rheumatoid conditions (rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and ankylosing spondylitis) (n = 666) and viral hepatitis (n = 80). Independent factors included socio-demographic data, pain disability, and somatic comorbidities (Ifudu index). Outcomes included symptoms of anxiety and depression, (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; HADS). Two multinomial regression models were used to determine the predictors of anxiety and depression symptoms.
  • RESULTS: After controlling the effect of age, sex, educational level, comorbidities, disability and pain, rheumatoid arthritis and hepatitis were predictors of higher anxiety symptoms, while coronary artery disease and chronic hemodialysis were predictors of depression symptoms.
  • CONCLUSIONS: Although all chronic conditions may require psychological consideration; be that as it may, different chronic diseases are dissimilar in terms of their mental health need. In rheumatoid arthritis and hepatitis, anxiety and in coronary artery disease and chronic hemodialysis, depression becomes more important.
  • KEYWORDS: Anxiety, Depression, Chronic Condition, Coronary Artery Disease, Renal Transplantation, Chronic Hemodialysis, Rheumatoid Conditions

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