The relationship between fatigue and other clinical features of multiple sclerosis

Background: There has been considerable debate regarding the precise relationships between fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS) and disease-related factors, such as disability, sleep disturbance, depression, age and sex. Existing studies give conflicting information. Objective: To clarify such relationships in a large cross-sectional study, using a rigorously developed measurement tool which was based on a clear definition of fatigue. Method: A pack containing the Neurological Fatigue Index for MS Summary Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale and questions regarding sleep and demographics was mailed to patients with MS attending two centres in the UK. All scale scores were converted to parametric measures using the Rasch measurement model. Both linear and non-linear relationships were sought. Results: Data from 635 respondents (52% response) were analysed. Fatigue was strongly related to the impact of MS. Fatigue was worse in those with progressive disease and clearly worsened once ambulation was affected. There was only weak correlation with anxiety and depression. Fatigue was not related to disease duration or patient age. There was an intimate but complex relation between fatigue and sleep. Fatigue levels were minimum at a nocturnal sleep duration of 7.5 h. Conclusion: Clear relationships were found between fatigue and disability, disease type and sleep. Further physiological enquiry and trials of drug treatment and sleep modulation might be guided by these clinical relationships.

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Is a View of Green Spaces from Home Associated with a Lower Risk of Anxiety and Depression?

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17197014 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (19) ◽

pp. 7014

Author(s):

Olta Braçe ◽

Marco Garrido-Cumbrera ◽

Ronan Foley ◽

José Correa-Fernández ◽

Gina Suárez-Cáceres ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lower Risk ◽

Green Space ◽

Large Body ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact

Although a large body of research supports the theory that exposure to nature results in mental health benefits, research evidence on the effects of having a view of green space from home is still scarce. The aim of the present study is to assess the impact that access to a green space view from home has on anxiety and depression. This is a cross-sectional study extracting data from the “2018 Green Spaces, Daily Habits and Urban Health Survey” conducted in Carmona (Spain). The study included variables on sociodemographic and lifestyle, view of green spaces from home, self-perceived health status, and risk of anxiety and depression measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Chi-square tests were used to assess variable’s associations and a multiple linear regression models used to identify the variables explaining the risk of anxiety and depression, taking into account sociodemographic characteristics, frequency of visits and view of green spaces from home. According to our results, adults who enjoy a view of green spaces from home have a lower risk of anxiety and depression.

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Anxiety and depression during pregnancy in the era of COVID-19

Journal of Perinatal Medicine ◽

10.1515/jpm-2021-0181 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Rasha E. Khamees ◽

Omima T. Taha ◽

Tamer Yehia M. Ali

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Tertiary Hospital ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

P Value ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Kuwait University ◽

Multiparous Women ◽

The Impact

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to evaluate anxiety and depression in pregnant women during this global disease. Methods This was a cross-sectional study recruiting 120 pregnant women. The study was conducted at the outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital. We recruited women attending for antenatal care. Anxiety was evaluated using an Arabic validated Kuwait University Anxiety Scale (KUAS). Depression was evaluated using a validated Arabic form of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Results The study included 48 (40%) nulliparous and 72 (60%) multiparous women. The mean KUAS scores for nulliparous and multiparous women were 45.27±10.78 and 47.28±10.62. Both nulliparous and multiparous women had a fairly high possibility of depression. Fifty-three (44.2%) of them reported scores ≥ of 14. Ninety-three (77.5%) women thought that COVID-19 pandemic would affect their pregnancies. There was a significant association between the number of women reporting fear related to the COVID-19 pandemic and their KUAS and EPDS scores (p-value <0.001 each). Conclusions COVID-19 affected the mental health of pregnant women to a great extent. Care should be directed to measures that would decrease the impact of this pandemic on vulnerable populations.

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Employment status in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis from Argentina: Impact of disability and neuropsychological factors

Work ◽

10.3233/wor-213446 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Edgar Carnero Contentti ◽

Pablo Adrián López ◽

Juan Pablo Pettinicchi ◽

Veronica Tkachuk ◽

María Eugenia Balbuena ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Employment Status ◽

Univariate Analysis ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Full Time ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Neuropsychological Factors ◽

Anxiety Depression ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND: Unemployment is common in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and might be prevented if factors associated with work loss are identified. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the impact of multiple sclerosis (MS) on employment status in a cohort of PwMS from Argentina and to evaluate their association with anxiety, depression, fatigue and disability. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess employment in PwMS using an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire, which also included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale and Expanded Disability Status Scale. The data was compared between employed (full-time vs. part-time) vs. unemployed (looking for vs. not looking for work) PwMS. Univariate and multivariate models were designed to identify factors independently associated with unemployment. RESULTS: Among the 167 PwMS, 120 (71.6%, full-time = 65%) were employed, and 47 (28.4%, looking for work = 27.6%) were currently unemployed. Age, gender, and duration of disease were similar in both groups. Univariate analysis showed that anxiety, depression, fatigue and disability were significantly associated with unemployed PwMS. However, only disability (OR = 1.36 (1.08–1.70), p = 0.007) was independently associated with unemployment after applying multivariate analysis (logistic regression). CONCLUSION: Nearly one-third of PwMS from this sample in Argentina were unemployed. Neuropsychological factors and disability were associated with unemployment status.

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Prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among emergency physicians in Libya after civil war: a cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-039382 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. e039382

Author(s):

Muhammed Elhadi ◽

Ala Khaled ◽

Ans Bassam Malek ◽

Ahmed El-Alem El-Azhari ◽

Ahmed Zakaria Gwea ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tertiary Care ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Measurement Tool ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Emergency Physicians ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

ObjectivesWe aimed to identify the prevalence of depression and anxiety among physicians working in the emergency departments of nine tertiary care centres in Libya.DesignThis was a cross-sectional study.SettingNine main tertiary centres in LibyaParticipantsEmergency department doctors were surveyed between December 2018 and February 2019.InterventionThe standardised Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was selected as a measurement tool for analysing anxiety and depression symptoms; a HADS score of 8 indicated anxiety as well as depression symptoms. The primary outcomes were anxiety and depression, which were tabulated with independent sociodemographic variables. χ2 tests were conducted to compare the prevalence of anxiety and depression between the groups. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS V.25.ResultsA total of 108 out of 150 (72%) emergency physicians from all levels participated in the study and took the survey. The emergency physicians had a mean±SD age of 31.2±4.5 years, and were predominantly males (74 out of 108, 68.5%). Overall, 49 (45.4%) physicians reached the cut-off score to define both depression and anxiety (ie, a score ≥8). In terms of violence, 71 (65.7%) reported incidents of verbal violence, while 26 (24.1%) reported physical violence or abuse by militias. In addition, 28 reported being threatened by militias.ConclusionThe high prevalence rate of anxiety and depression is of concern, and the high rate of physical and verbal abuse highlights the range of abuse endured by doctors in Libya. Therefore, screening for anxiety and depression at regular intervals is needed to avoid the deterioration of mental health, which can increase the risk of suicide and dropping out, and decrease the level of healthcare for patients.

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Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety amongst Cancer Patients in a Hospital Setting: A Cross-Sectional Study

Psychiatry Journal ◽

10.1155/2016/3964806 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Anish Khalil ◽

Muhammad Faheem ◽

Ammad Fahim ◽

Haran Innocent ◽

Zainab Mansoor ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cancer Patients ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Hospital Setting ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

Background. The biomedical care for cancer has not been complemented by psychosocial progressions in cancer care.Objectives. To find the prevalence of anxiety and depression amongst cancer patients in a hospital setting.Design and Setting. This cross-sectional study was conducted at the tertiary care hospitals Shifa International Hospital Islamabad and Nuclear Medicine, Oncology, and Radiotherapy Institute [NORI].Patients and Methods. 300 patients were interviewed from both the outpatient and inpatient department using The Aga Khan University Anxiety and Depression Scale (AKUADS).Main Outcome Measures. Using a score of 20 and above on the AKUADS, 146 (48.7%) patients were suffering from anxiety and depression.Results. When cross tabulation was done between different factors and the cancer patients with anxiety and depression, the following factors were found out to be significant with associatedpvalue < 0.05: education of the patient, presence of cancer in the family, the severity of pain, and the patient’s awareness of his anxiety and depression. Out of 143 (47.7%) uneducated patients, 85 (59.4%) were depressed, hence making it the highest educational category suffering from depression and anxiety.Conclusion. The prevalence of anxiety and depression amongst cancer patients was high showing that importance should be given to screening and counseling cancer patients for anxiety and depression, to help them cope with cancer as a disease and its impact on their mental wellbeing.Limitations. The frequency of female patients in our research was higher than those of male patients.

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Assessing the Impact of a Hilly Environment on Depressive Symptoms among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18094520 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (9) ◽

pp. 4520

Author(s):

Takafumi Abe ◽

Kenta Okuyama ◽

Tsuyoshi Hamano ◽

Miwako Takeda ◽

Masayuki Yamasaki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Rural Setting ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Although some neighborhood environmental factors have been found to affect depressive symptoms, few studies have focused on the impact of living in a hilly environment, i.e., land slope, on depressive symptoms among rural older adults. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate whether a land slope is associated with depressive symptoms among older adults living in rural areas. Data were collected from 935 participants, aged 65 years and older, who lived in Shimane prefecture, Japan. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and defined on the basis of an SDS score ≥ 40. Land slopes within a 400 m network buffer were assessed using geographic information systems. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of depressive symptoms were estimated using logistic regression. A total of 215 (23.0%) participants reported depressive symptoms. The land slope was positively associated with depressive symptoms (OR = 1.04; 95% CI = 1.01–1.08) after adjusting for all confounders. In a rural setting, living in a hillier environment was associated with depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older adults in Japan.

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Prevalence of Cardiac Depression and its Related Factors among Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Health Care ◽

10.18311/ajprhc/2016/7677 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 30 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amir Hossein Goudarzian ◽

Hamid Sharif Nia ◽

Heydar Tavakoli ◽

Mohammad Ali Soleimani ◽

Ameneh Yaghoobzadeh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Coronary Syndrome ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Depression Score ◽

Chi Square ◽

Related Factors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Psychological Reactions ◽

Coronary Syndrome ◽

Cardiac Depression

Cardiac depression is one of the most common psychological reactions of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cardiac depression and its related factors among patients with ACS. This cross-sectional study was conducted during 2016 in patients with ACS who were admitted to hospitals affiliated to the Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. In the present study, 407 patients completed the Cardiac Depression Scale (CDS) within two months (March - June). The data were analyzed by a chi-square test and a general linear model multivariate analysis. According to the results, the mean cardiac depression score in patients with ACS was 109.00 ± 16.49 (CI95: 107.39 to 110.60). Among the participants, 37 (9.1%), 72 (17.7%), and 298 (73.2%) patients had mild, moderate, and severe levels of depression, respectively. Although the two-way ANOVA was not significant, but there was a difference between cardiac depression score of a type of ACS. Given the high prevalence of cardiac depression among these patients, it is necessary to develop measures for routine screening in cardiac treatment units.

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Depression, Death Anxiety, and the Related Factors in Nurses Caring for COVID-19 Patients at Kosar Hospital, Semnan, Iran

International Journal of Health and Life Sciences ◽

10.5812/ijhls.113242 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Monir Nobahar ◽

Elnaz Talebi ◽

Sara Amaniyan ◽

Mansoreh Tarahomy

Keyword(s):

Work Experience ◽

Death Anxiety ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Related Factors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Effective Interventions ◽

Demographic Questionnaire ◽

High Incidence

Background: The high incidence of COVID-19 has provided a challenge for healthcare systems in Iran, and may result in some psychological problems. Objectives: The study aims at describing depression, death anxiety, and the related factors in nurses caring for COVID-19 Patients at Kosar Hospital, Semnan, Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 89 nurses caring for COVID-19 patients were selected in October 2020 via the census method. A demographic questionnaire, Beck’s Depression inventory, and Templer Death Anxiety scale were used to collect the required data. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20. Results: The mean scores of death anxiety and depression among nurses were 7.32 ± 1.75 and 10.82 ± 8.50 respectively. The results of the Pearson’s correlation-coefficient showed a significant positive correlation between death anxiety and depression (P = 0.05), death anxiety and nurses’ age (P < 0.05), death anxiety, and nurses’ work experience (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The findings of the study revealed that nurses caring for COVID-19 patients are at high risk of death anxiety and depression. Thus, there is a need to identify these problems to prevent or reduce them with effective interventions.

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