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. 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.