Prevalence of depression and anxiety among patients with noncommunicable diseases in the Kingdom of Bahrain

Abstract EN

Background and objectives: There is a high coexistence between mental disorders and chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCD).

Patients with chronic illnesses have higher rates of depression and anxiety when compared to the healthy individuals.

The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depression and anxiety and to explore the associated risk factors.

Methods: A cross sectional study conducted in the NCD clinics of five health centers in the Kingdom of Bahrain included all patients attending these clinics from January 2016 to March 2016.

Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) was used to screen patients for depression and anxiety.

Logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors associated with anxiety and depression.

All the analyses were conducted using STATA 12; P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: A total of 456 patients were included in the study.

Mild and moderate to severe type of depression were observed in 71 (15.6%) and 53 (11.6%) patients, respectively.

According to the multivariable model, the odds of having high depression score was significantly higher in patients aged <45 years (adjusted odds ratio (OR)=2.01; P=0.01), with low income (adjusted OR=1.99; P=0.02), with personal history of mental illness (adjusted OR=5.13; P=0.001), and with lower educational levels (P=0.02).

Mild and moderate to severe anxiety scores were observed in 55 (12.1%) and 34 (7.5%) patients, respectively.

According to the multivariate model, the odds of having high anxiety score was significantly higher in females (adjusted OR=2.85; P<0.001), patients aged <45 years (adjusted OR=2.41; P=0.005), in patients with low income (adjusted OR=3.62; P<0.001), and in those with personal history of mental illness (adjusted OR=4.5; P=0.004).

Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of depression and anxiety among patients attending NCD clinics in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Therefore, screening of mental health diseases should be established.