Anxiety and depression in Thai epileptic patients.
OBJECTIVE
To study the prevalence of depression and anxiety in Thai epileptic patients at Songklanagarind Hospital, a tertiary care center in the South of Thailand.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty six patients were included in the present study. A HADS questionnaire and demographics data were used for data collection in the present cross-sectional study.


RESULTS
Thirty-nine percent of the respondents had anxiety and 20% had depression. Predictors of anxiety by univariate analysis were being female (p = 0.033) and seizure frequency (p = 0.001). Predictors of depression were seizure frequency (p = 0.001) and a history of trauma associated with seizure activity (p = 0.005). Age, type of seizure, amount of medication, duration of disease, socioeconomic status, occupation, education level, and marital status were not predictors of depression or anxiety.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a high prevalence of depression and anxiety in Thai epileptics. Risk factors for depression are seizure frequency and history of trauma while for anxiety they are gender and frequency of seizure.
Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand. phabphal_k@yahoo.co.th
Kanitpong
K
Phabphal
Suwanna
S
Sattawatcharawanich
Ponchai
P
Sathirapunya
Kitti
K
Limapichart
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology