AB1192 THE UNDERWORLD OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN RHEUMATIC DISEASES: OVERLOOKED, UNRECOGNIZED OR UNPERCEIVED?

Background:The concomitant presence of depressive symptoms and rheumatic diseases (RDs) impose a considerable economic and social burden on the communities as they are associated with numerous deleterious outcomes such as increased mortality, work disability, higher disease activity and worsening physical function, higher pain levels and fatigue. Despite growing interest on depressive symptoms burden in RDs, current patient perception on this topic is unknown.Objectives:Italian patients with RDs were invited to participate in an online study gauging the presence and the perception of depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).Methods:This was a cross-sectional no-profit online study to screen the presence and the perception of depressive symptoms in RDs patients. All participants gave their consent to complete the PHQ-9 and they were not remunerated. Completion was voluntary and anonymous. The PHQ-9 rates the frequency of symptoms over the past 2 weeks on a 0-3 Likert-type scale. It contains the following items: anhedonia, depressed mood, trouble sleeping, feeling tired, change inappetite, guilt or worthlessness, trouble concentrating, feeling slowed down or restless, and suicidal thoughts. Patients were stratified as: <4 not depressed, 5-9 sub-clinical or mild depression, 10-14 moderate depression, 15-19 moderately severe depression and 20-27 severe depression. The survey was disseminated by ALOMAR (Lombard Association for Rheumatic Diseases) between June and October 2019.Results:192 patients took part in the study: 170 female with median age 50 years. Among respondents only 35 (18.2%) were not depressed. Depression was sub-clinical or mild in 68 (35.4%), moderate in 42 (21.9%), moderately severe in 30 (15.6%), and severe in 17 (8.9%). 16 (8.3%) of respondents declared to have depressive symptoms and 7 of 16 were under psychiatric therapy.Moreover, patients were grouped according to diagnosis.124 respondents had inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis). 23 (18.5%) were not depressed. Depression was sub-clinical or mild in 41 (33%), moderate in 26 (21%), moderately severe in 21 (17%), and severe in 13 (10.5%). Among them, 8 (6.5%) declared to have depressive symptoms depressed and 3 of 8 were under psychiatric therapy.49 respondents had a connective tissue disease or vasculitis. 11 (22.5%) were not depressed. Depression was sub-clinical or mild in 19 (38.8%), moderate in 13 (26.5%), moderately severe in 2 (4%), and severe in 4 (8.2%). Among them, 3 (6%) declared to have depressive symptoms and 1 of 6 were under psychiatric therapy.19 respondents had other rheumatic diseases. 1 (5.3%) was not depressed. Depression was sub-clinical or mild in 8 (42.1%), moderate in 3 (15.8%), moderately severe in 7 (36.8%). Among them, 5 (26.3%) declared to be depressed and 3 of 5 were under psychiatric therapy.Conclusion:Our study confirmed that the overall real-life burden of depressive symptoms is relevant in all RDs. At the same time, these results highlighted that depressive symptoms are overlook by physicians and unperceived by patients since fewer that half of respondents (46.4%) had a clinical depression (PHQ-9>10). These results suggested that screening for depression should form part of the routine clinical assessment of RD patients.Acknowledgments:We thank the Lombard Association of Rheumatic Diseases (ALOMAR) for its contribution to design and disseminate the survey, the group that sustain systemic sclerosis (GILS), and the IT service of the University of Milan.Disclosure of Interests:Francesca Ingegnoli: None declared, Tommaso Schioppo: None declared, Tania Ubiali: None declared, Valentina Bollati: None declared, Silvia Ostuzzi: None declared, Massimiliano Buoli: None declared, Roberto Caporali Consultant of: AbbVie; Gilead Sciences, Inc.; Lilly; Merck Sharp & Dohme; Celgene; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Pfizer; UCB, Speakers bureau: Abbvie; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Celgene; Lilly; Gilead Sciences, Inc; MSD; Pfizer; Roche; UCB

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The prevalence of smartphone addiction and its correlation with depression among higher college of technology students, Oman

International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences ◽

10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20201937 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (5) ◽

pp. 1833

Author(s):

Adil M. AL Mahrooqi ◽

Talal A. AL Agbari ◽

Asma S. AL Shidhani

Keyword(s):

Severe Depression ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Depression Score ◽

Smartphone Addiction ◽

Short Version ◽

Mild Depression ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Technology Students ◽

College Of Technology ◽

Patient Health

Background: The aim of this study is to identify the prevalence of smartphone addiction and its correlation with depression among Higher College of Technology students in Oman.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Higher College of Technology, Oman. A self-reported questionnaire was distributed electronically to students between January and February 2017. The questionnaire contained a validated short version of the smartphone addiction scale (SAS-SV) and a validated Arabic version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), along with a single question to self-assess smartphone addiction.Results: With a response rate of 86.2%, a total of 376 students were considered, of whom 34.6% were males and 65.4% were females, with an overall mean age of 20.9 years. This study showed that the prevalence of smartphone addiction in the study population using the SAS-SV was 63.8%; 88.3% of students were using their smartphones for four hours or more per day and 80% had been using smartphones for more than four years. The overall depression rate was 32.2%. As the total depression score increased by 1 point, the smartphone addiction score increased by 0.428 points (p<0.005). The prevalence of smartphone addiction was 54.9% among those who had no depression, 80.3% among those who had mild depression, 75.9% among those who had moderate depression, and 96.2% among those who have severe depression (p<0.005).Conclusions: This study shows high smartphone addiction levels based on SAS-SV scores and found a significant positive correlation between smartphone addiction score and depression scores.

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A pilot study of depression, stigma, and attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help among Arab adolescents

International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health ◽

10.1515/ijamh-2016-0070 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Latefa A. Dardas ◽

Susan Silva ◽

Devon Noonan ◽

Leigh Ann Simmons

Keyword(s):

Public Schools ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Self Report ◽

Future Research ◽

Mild Depression ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Professional Help ◽

Moderate Depression

Abstract The Arab region has the largest proportion of young people in the world and many of the factors that contribute to the onset of depression. Yet, very little is known about the current situation of depression and its associated stigma in this region. The purpose of this pilot study was to obtain preliminary data examining clinically significant depressive symptoms, depression stigma, and attitudes towards seeking professional help for depression among a sample of Arab adolescents from Jordan. Cross-sectional data were collected from 88 adolescents attending public schools in Jordan using self-report questionnaires that were available in, or translated into, Arabic. Among the 88 adolescents, 22% reported scores suggesting mild depression and 19% reported scores suggesting moderate depression, while 24% reported scores suggesting severe depression. The most frequently reported depressive symptoms were changes in sleep patterns (76%), changes in appetite (63%), agitation (62%), and crying (61%). The majority (73%) had moderate depression stigma, and 43% had negative attitudes towards seeking professional help. Yet, 67% believed they would find relief in psychotherapy if they ever had a serious emotional crisis. Findings suggest that the prevalence of depressive symptoms may be high among Jordanian adolescents. Further, many of these adolescents may experience depression-related stigma that affects their attitudes and willingness to seek professional help. To determine the true scope of these issues, including the prevalence of depression among Jordanian adolescents, future research should obtain data from a nationally representative sample.

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Frequency and Correlation of Depression in Melasma Patients

10.53350/pjmhs2115123161 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (12) ◽

pp. 3161-3163

Author(s):

Aqsa Naheed ◽

Mahpara Mazhar ◽

Sundus Fatima ◽

Sakina Sadiq Malik ◽

Sehar Ashraf ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Severe Depression ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Young Female ◽

Patient Health Questionnaire ◽

Psychiatric Disease ◽

Health Questionnaire ◽

Mild Depression ◽

Psychosocial Burden ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Patient Health

Background: Melasma is hyper-pigmentation of skin, usually seen in young female adults, and previous studies have established substantial psychosocial burden associated with this disease. Aim: To measure the frequency of depression in melasma patients and its correlation with severity of melasma Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Place and duration of study: Dermatology OPD, HIT Hospital Taxila from 1st January 2021 to 31st August 2021 Methods: One hundred consecutive patients of melasma diagnosed by a skin specialist were enrolled. Elderly patients aged >60 years, those with previous psychiatric disease or chronic illnesses and on long term streroids were not included. After getting written informed consent, enrolled patients were screened for depression using Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) Results: There were 17 males and 83 females. The mean age was 41.5±8.14 years. On MASI scale for assessing severity of melasma, 38 patients scored mild, 51 scored moderate and 11 scored severe. Using Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) in patients with melasma, 18 patients didn’t have depression, 38 had mild depression, 31 had moderate depression, 6 had moderately severe depression and 7 had severe depression. Conclusion: The frequency of depression is quite high in patients suffering from melasma. It indicates a need for prompt diagnosis, appropriate intervention at correct time to ensure patient’s compliance to therapy to improve his disease outcome. Keywords: Depression, Melasma, Frequency

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The Effects of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak on Medical Students

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.637946 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Kadir Bilgi ◽

Gamze Aytaş ◽

Utku Karatoprak ◽

Rümeyza Kazancıoǧlu ◽

Semra Özçelik

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Survey Study ◽

Mild Depression ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Educational Activities ◽

First Case ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Patient Health

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has influenced the whole world, where after the first case was diagnosed in Turkey, educational activities were suspended and partial curfews were implemented. This study was conducted to assess the concerns faced by the medical students about their professional life due to the disrupted educational activities and related psychological effects.Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey study, conducted with self-administered questionnaires on Bezmialem Vakif University medical students, during the pandemic. The questionnaire consists of queries about demographics, environmental factors, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scales.Results: A total of 178 students participated in the study, with a female-to-male ratio of 5:2. Of the total respondents, 19.7% were experiencing severe anxiety, 17.4% moderate anxiety, and 37.1% mild anxiety, according to the GAD-7; and 13.5% of the respondents were experiencing severe depression, 21.9% moderate–severe depression, and 23% mild depression according to the PHQ-9. There was no statistically significant difference between the grades in terms of GAD-7 or PHQ-9 scores. Male participants were more likely to have suicidal thoughts (p = 0.013). According to our study, the factors with the highest influence on students were as follows: “Major changes in personal life,” “Disruption in educational activities,” and “Covid-19 related anxiety of loss of relatives and contamination or infection.” On average, women voted higher points for “Covid-19 related anxiety of loss of relatives and contamination.”Conclusions: We found that a significant portion of students regardless of their year in medical school were profoundly affected by the pandemic process as is shown by their anxiety and depression scores. The disruption in educational activities is one of the main factors of these effects, and we believe that these should not be ignored, as they could in the future lead to a series of problems for medical education and students alike.

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Chronotype, Sleep, and Depressive Symptoms Among Chinese College Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Frontiers in Neurology ◽

10.3389/fneur.2020.592825 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Tingting Li ◽

Yang Xie ◽

Shuman Tao ◽

Yajuan Yang ◽

Honglv Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Mild Depression ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Chinese College Students ◽

Family Economy ◽

Reported Study

Objective: To describe the prevalence of chronotype and depressive symptoms among Chinese college students and to examine the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms.Methods: From April to May 2019, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,179 Chinese college students from 2 universities in Anhui and Jiangxi provinces. A total of 1,135 valid questionnaires were collected, the valid response rate was 98.6%. The questionnaire investigated age, gender, major, height, weight, only child status, living place, self-reported family economy, and self-reported study burden. The chronotype was assessed by the Morning and Evening Questionnaire (MEQ). Depressive symptoms and sleep quality were evaluated by the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), respectively. A Chi-square test was used to examine the proportion of depressive symptoms among Chinese college students with different demographic characteristics. The generalized linear model was used to analyze the relationships between chronotype and depressive symptoms.Results: The proportion of morning types (M-types), neutral types (N-types), and evening types (E-types) of college students were 18.4, 71.1, and 10.5%, respectively. The proportion of mild depression, moderate depression, and moderate to severe depression of participants were 32.4, 6.0, and 4.2%, respectively. Compared to the M-types, after controlled for age, gender, major, sleep quality, self-reported study burden, father's education level, and self-reported family economy, depressive symptoms were positively correlated with E-types (OR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.49–3.73).Conclusions: There was a significant association between chronotype and depressive symptoms among Chinese college students. Further longitudinal studies were needed to clarify the causal relationship between chronotype and depressive symptoms.

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High levels of depressive symptoms among people with lower limb lymphoedema in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene ◽

10.1093/trstmh/traa139 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 114 (12) ◽

pp. 974-982

Author(s):

Maya Semrau ◽

Gail Davey ◽

Ursin Bayisenge ◽

Kebede Deribe

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Lower Limb ◽

Strong Predictor ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Female Gender ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Disease Stage ◽

Cluster Sampling ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Patient Health

Abstract Background There is a growing body of evidence that mental distress and disorder are common among people with lower limb lymphoedema, although no research has been conducted on this subject in Rwanda. Methods This research was embedded within a mapping study to determine the national prevalence and geographical distribution of podoconiosis in Rwanda. Using a cluster sampling design, adult members of households within 80 randomly selected sectors in all 30 districts of Rwanda were first screened and 1143 patients were diagnosed with either podoconiosis (n=914) or lower limb lymphoedema of another cause (n=229). These 1143 participants completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 to establish the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Results Overall, 68.5% of participants reported depressive symptoms- 34.3% had mild depressive symptoms, 24.2% had moderate, 8.8% moderately severe and 1.2% severe depressive symptoms. The mean PHQ-9 score was 7.39 (SD=5.29) out of a possible 0 (no depression) to 27 (severe depression). Linear regression showed unemployment to be a consistently strong predictor of depressive symptoms; the other predictors were region (province), type of lymphoedema and, for those with podoconiosis, female gender, marital status and disease stage. Conclusions Levels of depressive symptoms were very high among people with lower limb lymphoedema in Rwanda, which should be addressed through holistic morbidity management and disability prevention services that integrate mental health, psychosocial and economic interventions alongside physical care.

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Prevalence of depressive symptoms and its associated factors among male prisoners at Dillibazar prison, Kathmandu, Nepal

Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences ◽

10.46405/ejms.v2i1.21 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 30-36

Author(s):

Kushalata Baral ◽

Maginsh Dahal ◽

Ganga Khadka ◽

Anup Adhikari

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Initial Step ◽

Mild Depression ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Chi Square Test ◽

History Of ◽

Male Prisoners

Background: Depression is characterized by continuous low mood, feeling of sadness and loss of interest. To find out the prevalence of depressive symptoms and its associated factors among male prisoners in Dillibazar prison. Methodology: A cross-sectional analytical design was conducted among 195 male prisoners of Dillibazar by using systematic random sampling. The self-administered questionnaire technique was used for data collection along with the standard Major Depression Inventory (MDI) tool of WHO for rating the level of depression. The data were coded, tabulated using Epi-data, the analysis was done by SPSS 16 version and chi-square test was done for the associations between the variables. Results: The overall findings revealed that the prevalence of depressive symptoms at Dillibazar prison was (45.6%). Among the total of (45.6%) with depression, (28.2%) of them met the criteria of severe depression, (6.7%) of moderate depression while rest (10.8%), met the criteria of mild depression. It was found that the duration of stay in prison, history of alcoholism, history of smoking, frequency of disputes is not statistically significant with depression and history of past illness, history of drug abuse and depression was found a statistically significant association with p-values less than 0.05 at 5% level of significance. Conclusion: This will be an initial step towards drawing the attention of the authorities towards the value of mental health among prisoners in Nepal.

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Relationship between Depression Symptoms and Different Types of Measures of Obesity (BMI, SAD) in US Women

Behavioural Neurology ◽

10.1155/2020/9624106 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Yang Zhou ◽

Guifang Yang ◽

Wen Peng ◽

Hongliang Zhang ◽

Zhenyu Peng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Significant Relationship ◽

Severe Depression ◽

The United States ◽

Clinical Depression ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Final Study ◽

Patient Health ◽

Cross Sectional Design

Objective. To estimate the relationship between obesity (defined by both BMI and SAD) and various levels of depressive symptoms in women in the United States. Methods. This is a cross-sectional design. All data were collected from NHANES 2011-2012 and 2013-2014. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was the primary variable used to index depressive symptoms. SAD was assessed using an abdominal caliper. We stratified participates into three groups according to SAD (trisection): T1: low (11.8-18.4 cm), T2: middle (18.5-22.8 cm), and T3: high (22.9-40.1 cm). Other data were collected following the NHANES protocols. We aimed to investigate the effects of obesity on the depression in the NHANES populations. Results. A total of 4477 women were enrolled in the final study population. Participants with a high SAD had the highest risk of clinical depression symptoms ( OR = 1.2 , 95% CI: 1.1-1.4), which was, in particular, the case for moderate-severe depression ( OR = 1.4 , 95% CI: 1.1-1.7) and severe depression ( OR = 1.4 , 95% CI: 1.0-1.9). We also found a significant relationship between SAD and BMI ( r = 0.836 ). We did, however, not find a significant relationship between BMI and severe depression. Conclusions. SAD had a better correlation with clinical depression symptoms than BMI, especially regarding severe depression symptoms.

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Association of severity of depressive symptoms with sleep quality, social support and stress among Pakistani medical and dental students: A cross-sectional study

Global Psychiatry ◽

10.2478/gp-2019-0019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 211-220

Author(s):

Ahmed Waqas ◽

Aqsa Iftikhar ◽

Zahra Malik ◽

Kapil Kiran Aedma ◽

Hafsa Meraj ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Medical Students ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Dental Students ◽

Poor Sleep ◽

Poor Sleep Quality ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Medical And Dental Students

AbstractObjectivesThis study has been designed to elucidate the prevalence of stress, depression and poor sleep among medical students in a Pakistani medical school. There is a paucity of data on social support among medical students in Pakistan; an important predictor of depressive symptoms. Therefore, this study was also aimed to demonstrate the direct and indirect impact of social support in alleviating depressive symptoms in the study sample.MethodsThis observational cross-sectional study was conducted in Lahore, Pakistan, where a total of 400 students at a medical school were approached between 1st January to 31st March 2018 to participate in the study. The study sample comprised of medical and dental students enrolled at a privately financed Pakistani medical and dental school. The participants responded to a self-administered survey comprising of five parts: a) demographics, b) Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), c) Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), d) Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and e) Perceived Stress Scale-4 (PSS-4). All data were analysed using SPSS v. 20. Linear regression analysis was used to reveal the predictors of depression.ResultsIn total, 353 medical students participated, yielding a response rate of 88.25%. Overall, poor sleep quality was experienced by 205 (58.1%) students. Mild to severe depression was reported by 83% of the respondents: mild depression by 104 (29.5%), moderate depression by 104 (29.5%), moderately severe depression by 54 (15.3%) and severe depression by 31 (8.8%) respondents. Subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, daytime dysfunction and stress levels were significantly associated with depression symptoms. Social support was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms in the regression model (Beta = -0.08, P < 0.09); however, it acted as a significant mediator, reducing the strength of the relationship between depressive symptoms and sleep quality and stress.ConclusionsAccording to our study, a large proportion of healthcare (medical and dental) students were found to be suffering from mild to moderate depression and experienced poor sleep quality. It is concluded that social support is an important variable in predicting depressive symptomatology by ameliorating the effects of poor sleep quality and high stress levels.

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Perceptions of Study Conditions and Depressive Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among University Students in Germany: Results of the International COVID-19 Student Well-Being Study

Frontiers in Public Health ◽

10.3389/fpubh.2021.674665 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Paula Mayara Matos Fialho ◽

Franca Spatafora ◽

Lisa Kühne ◽

Heide Busse ◽

Stefanie M. Helmer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

University Students ◽

Online Survey ◽

Positive Association ◽

Well Being ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

German Student ◽

The University ◽

The Impact ◽

Mental Well Being

Background: Results of previous studies examining the impact of the SARS-CoV-1 epidemic in 2003 on university students' mental well-being indicated severe mental health consequences. It is unclear how the current COVID-19 pandemic and the changes in study conditions due to federal regulations affected mental well-being in the German student population. We examined university students' perceptions of study conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigated associations between study conditions and depressive symptoms.Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Germany in May 2020 at four universities (N = 5,021, 69% female, mean age: 24 years, SD: 5.1). Perceived study conditions, as well as sociodemographic information, were assessed with self-generated items and the CES-D 8 scale was used to determine depressive symptoms. Associations between perceived study conditions (academic stress and academic satisfaction), in general, and confidence to complete the semester, in particular, and depressive symptoms were analyzed using generalized linear regressions.Results: Fifty-four percent of survey participants felt that the university workload had significantly increased since the COVID-19 pandemic; 48% were worried that they would not be able to successfully complete the academic year; 47% agreed that the change in teaching methods caused significant stress. Regarding depressive symptoms, the mean score of the CES-D 8 scale was 9.25. Further, a positive association between perceived study conditions and depressive symptoms was found (p < 0.001), indicating that better study conditions were associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Results of the generalized linear regression suggest that better student mental well-being was related to higher confidence in completing the semester.Conclusions: This study provides first insights into perceived study conditions and associations with depressive symptoms among students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. Findings underline the need for universities to provide intervention strategies targeting students' mental well-being during the course of the pandemic.

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