HUMAIRA AFAQ*, nAYYAR UL ISLAM*, mUNIR HAMIRANI**, ASHRAF JAHANGIR***

ABSTRACT

Objective: To determine the frequency and risk factors of anxiety and depressive disorders among hospitalized patients. Subjects and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted in the department of Medicine, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi (July to December 2008). The study comprised of 190 subjects of either gender with varied medical illnesses, age between 15-70 years, fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria. We took verbal consent from the patients to participate in the study. Anxiety and depression was assessed by using the HAD scale and scoring was done. Patients scoring greater than 11 were labeled as screened positive for having anxiety disorders or depressive disorders respectively.
Results: The study comprised of 190 subjects. The age range was 15-70 years with a mean of 39.15 ± 1.18 and gender distribution was that 98 (51.6%) were male and 92 (48.4%) were female. Patients suffering from acute disease 102 (53.7%) and chronic disease 88 (46.3%) A total of 63 patients (33.2%) were found to be screened positive for anxiety disorders out of them 39(20.5%) were female patients and 24 (12.6%) were males. Out of the total 190 patients, Depressive disorders were found in 39 (20.5%) patients i.e. In 20 females 10.5% and 19 males (10.0%). More over 31 (30.4%) patients suffering from acute medical illnesses were screened positive for having anxiety disorders, 17 females and 14 males and in 32 (36.4%) patients with chronic disease out of those 22 were females and 10 were males. Screening was found positive for depressive disorders in 18 (17.6%) patients with acute diseases 8 female and 10 male and 21 (23.9%) patients with chronic disease. 12 female and 9 male. (Over all 39, 20.5%)
Conclusion: This study found substantial proportion of anxiety and depressive disorders among hospitalized patients. Keeping in mind the limitations of cross sectional researches this study found an association between anxiety disorders and depressive disorders with medical illnesses. The magnitude of these anxiety disorders and depressive disorders can be influenced by variables of the disease and life. Anxiety disorders and depressive disorders were seen irrespective of the disease type. But anxiety was found significantly higher in female patients.
Key words: Depressive disorders, Anxiety disorders, medically ill, acute disease, chronic disease.

For Full text contact to:
Prof. Dr. Farah Mansuri
editor@annals-ashkmdc.org

* Department of Medicine, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital Karachi
**Department of Psychiatry, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital Karachi
*** Department of Community Medicine,
Dow University of Health Sciences,Karachi
.