[Prevalence and effects of depressive and anxiety symptoms in internal medicine inpatients during the first year after hospital discharge].
In a prospective follow-up study the German version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in internal medicine inpatients. From a total cohort of 376 admitted study patients questionnaires were completed at admission and after one year follow-up. The data demonstrated that the mean HADS score on the anxiety subscale decreased significantly from 6.7 3.5 at study inclusion to 5.8 3.8 after one year (p < 0.0005) while the mean HADS score on the depression subscale was relatively stable (5.3 3.6 versus 5.4 4.3, p = n.s.). Odds ratios for the prediction of positive HADS results at follow-up were 4.1 (95%-CI 2.0-8.4) for anxiety symptoms and 8.2 (95%-CI 4.6-14.6) for depressive symptoms. Patients with abnormal HADS anxiety scores were significantly more frequently rehospitalized (Odds ratio 1.9; p = 0.028) and also more frequently reported pain symptoms (Odds ratio 2.0; p = 0.019). These results demonstrate the persistence of depressive symptoms and the frequent utilization of health care in internal medicine inpatients with psychiatric disorders in the first year after hospital discharge.
Meyer
Thomas
T
Abteilung Kardiologie und Pneumologie der Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany. meyer@fmp-berlin.de
Klemme
Heike
H
Herrmann-Lingen
Christoph
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*