A comparative study of anxiety and depression in patients with bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and tuberculosis in a general hospital of chest diseases

Georgios Moussas¹ , Athanasios Tselebis² , Athanasios Karkanias² , Dimitra Stamouli² , Ioannis Ilias³ , Dionisios Bratis² and Kalliopi Vassila-Demi²

¹Attikon General Hospital, Second Psychiatric Department, Medical School, University of Athens, Greece

²Sotiria General Hospital of Chest Diseases, Psychiatric Department, Athens, Greece

³Elena Venizelou Hospital, Athens, Greece

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Annals of General Psychiatry 2008, 7:7doi:10.1186/1744-859X-7-7


Published:	21 May 2008

Abstract

Background

Depression necessitating assistance from health professionals has a lifetime prevalence of 10%. Chronic disease increases comorbidity with mood and/or anxiety disorders. Patients with chronic pulmonary disease present with severely impaired functionality, chronic somatic and psychogenic pain, require frequent hospitalizations and have a dependency upon medical and nursing personnel. In the present study we assessed anxiety and depression in patients hospitalized for pulmonary disease in a pulmonary disease hospital.

Methods

We assessed anxiety, using the Spielberger state-trait anxiety scale, and depression, using the Beck Depression Inventory, in 132 patients with pulmonary disease.

Results

A total of 49.2% of the sample had moderate or severe depression and 26.5% had anxiety. Women had higher depression and anxiety scores than men (t test, p < 0.05). Depression was positively correlated with anxiety, age and time from diagnosis. Anxiety was positively correlated with depression and time from diagnosis (Pearson r = 0.62 and 0.29, p < 0.01). Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchial asthma had higher depression scores than patients with tuberculosis (t test, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Depression and anxiety are very prevalent in patients with pulmonary disease, especially chronic disease. This may be a very important negative factor in patients' adaptation to the chronic course of their disease.