Prevalence of depression among patients with multiple sclerosis in Erbil city

• Main Authors: Warzheen Yaseen Sulaiman, Sirwan Kamil Ali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hawler Medical University 2020-09-01
• Series: Zanco Journal of Medical Sciences
• Subjects: depression; patients with multiple sclerosis; erbil city
• Online Access: https://zjms.hmu.edu.krd/index.php/zjms/article/view/766
• ISSN: 1995-5588; 1995-5596

Background and objective: Multiple sclerosis is one of the chronic central nervous system diseases. Depression comorbidity is common with multiple sclerosis. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression among patients with multiple sclerosis and the relation of patient demographic data and disease status. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Rizgary Teaching Hospital in Erbil City, in a one-year duration from October 2017 to October 2018. The sample size was 169 known patients with multiple sclerosis, which was collected randomly. Beck Depression Inventory was used. The statistical package for the social sciences (version 25) was used for data analysis. Pearson Chi-square and Fisher's Exact Test were used to finding the association between various variables and depression. Results: The prevalence of depression among patients with multiple sclerosis was 53.5%. Age group more than 50 years was found more depressed (66.7 %,P = 0.006). Depression is more with those with multiple sclerosis for 10 years and more (84.6%) with a statistically significant association (P = 0.021). Treatment by rituximab show more depression (85.7%,P = 0.039). The frequency of severity of major depressive disorder was (mild 31.8%, moderate 52.9%, and severe 15.3%) and showed no significant association with different variables. Conclusion: The prevalence of depression among patients with multiple sclerosis was high. The age group of more than 50 years, duration of multiple sclerosis equal or more than 10 years, and rituximab treatment were regarded as risk factors.