Extent Of Depression Among Patients With Gastrointestinal TractSymptoms In Outpatient Clinic Of Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital In Al-NasiriyahAt 2018

Abstract

Background:Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions inthe general population as well as in clinical practice. In clinical studies, there is astrong relationship between gastrointestinal symptoms and depression and thegastrointestinal symptoms remain for longer time and are more serious than inpatients without depression.Objective:To estimate extent of depression in gastrointestinal tract symptoms inmedical outpatient clinic attendees.Methods:The study was a cross-sectional analytical study for 154 adult populationin the Al-Hussein teaching hospital in Nasiriyah city,conducted at first March 2018and completed at end of September 2018. Tools of method was questioner and fordiagnosis of depression was used Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,fourth edition (DSM- IV) criteria. refusal rate was zero and for statisticanalysis was used SPSS version 22.Result:The study showed that 43.5 % of subjects with gastrointestinal symptomssuffer from depression. depression found in 40.7% of females and 47.1% of males. 50.0% of depressed patients were in two age groups of 20 -44 years and ≥ 65 years.Most of depressed patients were suffering constipation (51.3%), change in appetite (51.3%) and change in weight(50.7%), where only change in appetite hadsignificant association with depression, were p-value=0.001. More of depressedsubjects had GI symptoms with one month duration and ≥7 numbers of GIT symptoms.Recommendation:Raising awareness of general population about the depressionand relation of that with GIT symptoms.