The presence of anxiety and depression in the adult population of family practice patients with chronic diseases
Prisotnost anksioznosti in depresije v aktivni populaciji bolnikov s kroničnimi boleznimi

angleški

2009

letnik 48, številka 4

anksioznost   bolečina   depresija (medicina)   družinska medicina   kronične bolezni

Inštitut za varovanje zdravja RS
(Obvezni izvod spletne publikacije)

Background: The prevalence of multimorbidity in family practice is rising and psychiatric comorbidity presents a risk factor for premature mortality. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression in the adult population of family practice patients with chronic somatic diseases, aged between 18 and 64 years old. Methods: We performed a cross sectional study in 500 consecutive patients from twelve family practices. Zung''s self-assessment inventories for anxiety and depression were used to determine the presence of psychiatric comorbidity. The main outcome measures were depression and anxiety scores in patients with various comorbidities. Results: The response rate was 90.4 %. 8.4 % of family practice visitors suffered from anxiety symptoms and 15.2 % from depressive symptoms. At least one chronic disease was present in 40.7 % of the patients. Significantly higher rates of depression and anxiety were found among patientswith chronic somatic disease (p=0.001, P<0.001, respectively; ?2 test)or chronic pain (p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively; ?2 test). Significantly more patients with rheumatic diseases had depression in comparison to those without them (p=0.018; ?2 test). Significantly more patients with migraine or rheumatic diseases had anxiety in comparison to those without them (p=0.010, p=0.030, respectively; ?2 test). Chronic pain was present in significantly more patients with a particular chronic disease in comparison to the patients without it (p<0.050; ?2 test). Conclusions: Family doctors should actively search and treat psychiatric comorbidity also in the population of patients with chronic somatic diseases, aged between 18 and 64 years old.

20.05.2011