60.2% patients,16.7 percent health workers face depression in Valley
Over 60.2% of patients, 46.2% of carers and 16.7% of health workers showed signs of depression during the Covid-19 pandemic in Kashmir, a study has found.
The cross-sectional study was conducted at a Covid19 tertiary care treatment facility, Chest Disease Hospital, Srinagar which is one of the main hospitals receiving COVID-19 patients and was used as one of the quarantine and isolation facilities from the beginning of the pandemic in Kashmir.
The study was conducted between October and December 2020. Consecutive adult patients admitted for quarantine and isolation purposes, and who were between the age of 18 and 65 were included in the study.
To study the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, a self-administered tool for Anxiety and Depressive symptomatology-Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety-Depression Scale (PHQ-ADS)— which combines the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales18 was used.
In the sample of 85 patients, 70.2% (n = 59) were male, and the mean age was 59 ± 12.6 years. Most (90.5%, n= 76) had positive COVID-19 PCR results. The mean duration of hospital stay was 8.0 ± 4.2 days. The prevalence of depression was 60.2%
In a sample of 68 carers, 80.9% (n = 55) were male, and the mean age was 37.9±13.7 years. The prevalence of depression was 46.2% (n = 30, 95% CI [33.8%; 58.5%]). The prevalence of anxiety was 49.2%
In a sample of 44 healthcare workers, 54.5% (n = 24) were male, and the mean age was 41.9 ± 10.8 years. The prevalence of depression was 16.7%.
The study concluded that in the patient group, the prevalence of depression was 60.2% and the prevalence of anxiety was 53%. In the carer group, the prevalence of depression was 46.2% and the prevalence of anxiety was 49.2%. In the healthcare worker group, the prevalence of depression was 16.7% and the prevalence of anxiety was 33.3%.
It was further concluded that Unpaid carers who look after another member of their household are known both in the Eastern and Western cultures; however, unpaid carers in hospital settings in only known in low-income and middle-income countries
Carers are known to have poorer mental health than the general population.
The study was conducted by a team of Dr. OvaisWadoo, Dr. Naveed Nazir Shah, Dr. Mudasir M. Firdosi, Dr. Arshad Hussain, Dr. Mehvish Mushtaq, Dr. AaliyaMohi-uddin Azad, Dr Sami Ouanes, Dr Zaid Khan, Dr Shahid Majid, Dr. Waseem-ud Din, Dr. Sabeena Qadri and Dr. Shuja Reagu.
The study was approved by the ethics committee of Government Medical College, Srinagar.
