Center-based prevalence of anxiety and depression in women of the northern areas of Pakistan.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of anxiety and depression in women of the Northern areas.


METHODS
A cross-sectional center-based study was conducted at Singal Medical Center (SMC), Gilgit, in the Northern Areas of Pakistan, using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).


RESULTS
One hundred and twenty women, between the ages of 16 and 60, attended the SMC over a two month period and were included in the study. Using HADS, it was found that 50% of the women had anxiety and/or depression; 25% suffered only from anxiety, 8% from depression and 17% had features of both.


CONCLUSIONS
This study supports the previous studies of stress in remote areas and also contradicts the belief that people who live in the remote rural areas lead stress-free lives or have low rates of psychiatric morbidity (JPMA 50:138, 2000).
Family Medicine Division, Depatment of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi.
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Dodani
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Zuberi
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires