PREVALENCE OF ANXIETY & DEPRESSION AMONG NEUROLOGICAL OUTPATIENTS IN KARACHI
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Abstract
Introduction: Anxiety and depression are common mental health disorders that have a considerable effect on patients’ health-related quality of life. In Pakistan, during the COVID-19 lockdown, 39.9% suffered from depression and 57.7% from anxiety. This high prevalence suggests a need for further investigation in specific patient populations, such as neurological outpatients.
Methods: The study used a survey method to quantitatively measure anxiety and depression levels in patients attending outpatient neurology clinics. The participants were neurological outpatients from private and public hospitals. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) were used for measurement. Both scales are considered standard and reliable for assessing anxiety and depression.
The sample size consisted of 200 patients, 100 each from a private neurology clinic and a public hospital outpatient clinic. Inclusion criteria were patients with neurological problems attending the clinics. Those who refused to take the screening tests or did not have neurological problems were excluded.
After obtaining consent, the Hamilton Rating Scales were used to assess depression and anxiety. Demographic data was also collected. The results were analyzed using SPSS software.
Results: The study found that anxiety is more common in women among neurological outpatients in Karachi, with a statistically significant p-value of 0.012 and a male/female odds ratio of 0.453 (0.241-0.853; 95% confidence interval).
Implications: The findings underscore the need for gender-specific interventions in the treatment and management of anxiety among neurological outpatients. Healthcare providers should consider the different needs and experiences of men and women when developing treatment plans.
The findings could also inform public health strategies aimed at reducing the prevalence of anxiety among neurological outpatients. For example, public health campaigns could aim to raise awareness about the higher prevalence of anxiety among women and promote services and resources available to help manage these conditions.
The results also highlight the importance of training for healthcare providers to recognize and address gender differences in the prevalence of anxiety. This could help ensure that all patients receive appropriate care and support.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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Mohammad Zain Abbas
Assistant Instructional Designer, Biology Department, ALT Academy / MBBS, Ziauddin University, Karachi - Pakistan
Kayhan Nasir Hashmi
MBBS, Ziauddin University, Karachi - Pakistan
Muhammad Arsalan Bashir
Research Associate, Indus Hospital and Health Network, Karachi - Pakistan
Wajeeh Naveed
Clinical Internee, Cardiology Department, Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi - Pakistan
Verisha Mansoor
Clinical Internee, Psychiatry Department, PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi - Pakistan
Haider Ali Syed
MBBS, Ziauddin University, Karachi - Pakistan