Prevalence of Depression and its Relationship with Socio Demographic Characteristics and Chronic Diseases

Background: Depression is a common health problem among the general population and is responsible for the deterioration of person’s abilities and daily activities. It has been estimated that depression affects approximately 121 million people around the globe regardless of religion, race, age, or gender. Major depressive disorder is a common, chronic, and costly condition for which people seek most of the care from primary care physicians.

Objectives: The present study aims at finding the prevalence of depression and its relationship with socio demographic characteristics and chronic diseases.

Methods: The present institution based cross-sectional study was done on a sample of 120 females in Hail city of Saudi Arabia. The sample was randomly selected from all the colleges of University of Hail, Saudi Arabia. For the purpose of data collection general questionnaire about the participants’ socio-demographic characteristics and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS) for screening of depression was employed. The data were analysed using SPSS version 21.

Results: The present study examined the association between the common chronic diseases and depression among the general population. Based on the results obtained, more than two thirds of participants showed either normal or mild mood disturbance. The total number of the sample was 120 females and their ages ranged from 18 - 40 years with a mean of 23.2 ± 6.8 years. The majority of subjects were Saudis. Results shows that the mean BMI was 23.2 ±4.9 years with a range of 25 (Minimum - 15 and maximum 40). Analysis with HADS revealed the mean anxiety score was 9.96±3.4 while the mean depression score was 7.1±3.8. Chi square shows that there was a significant correlation between anxiety, depression and chronic diseases. Regarding anxiety, it was found that 20.8% of students were normal according to HADS-Anxiety, while 41.7% and 37.5% of students had a borderline and morbid anxiety, respectively. Regarding depression, 60% of students were normal according to HADS-Depression, while 26.7% and 13.3% had a borderline and morbid depression, respectively.

Conclusion: The findings of the study indicate a strong link between chronic illnesses, anxiety, and depression. The first line of defense when it comes to diagnosing an underlying mental illness and starting the proper course of referral or treatment should be primary care physicians.