Independent associations of alexithymia and social support with depression in hemodialysis patients.
OBJECTIVE
The influences of alexithymia and social support on depression among chronically ill patients were examined prospectively.


METHODS
The study population was 230 outpatients receiving chronic hemodialysis (HD) therapy. The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and two subscales of the Social Support Questionnaire were given to the subjects. The BDI-II was readministered after a 6-month interval, and subjects who showed deterioration in their depression score above the level predicted from their baseline score were identified. Multivariate logistic analysis adjusted for age, gender, cause of dialysis, and psychosocial variables were performed.


RESULTS
Baseline depression was significantly and independently associated with alexithymia and low satisfaction with available support. Deterioration of depression after 6 months was predicted by alexithymia and poor available support.


CONCLUSIONS
Alexithymia and reduced social support might have independent associations with the presence and the prognosis of depression among HD patients.
Kojima
Masayo
M
Department of Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Science, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. masayok@med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp
Hayano
Junichiro
J
Tokudome
Shinkan
S
Suzuki
Sadao
S
Ibuki
Koichi
K
Tomizawa
Hiroshi
H
Nakata
Atsuro
A
Seno
Hachiro
H
Toriyama
Takanobu
T
Kawahara
Hiroshi
H
Furukawa
Toshiaki A
TA
D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires