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.

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.