title: A comparative study of anxiety and depression in patients with bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and tuberculosis in a general hospital of chest diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression necessitating assistance from health professionals has a lifetime prevalence of 10%. Chronic disease increases comorbidity with mood and/or anxiety disorders. Patients with chronic pulmonary disease present with severely impaired functionality, chronic somatic and psychogenic pain, require frequent hospitalizations and have a dependency upon medical and nursing personnel. In the present study we assessed anxiety and depression in patients hospitalized for pulmonary disease in a pulmonary disease hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed anxiety, using the Spielberger state-trait anxiety scale, and depression, using the Beck Depression Inventory, in 132 patients with pulmonary disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 49.2% of the sample had moderate or severe depression and 26.5% had anxiety. Women had higher depression and anxiety scores than men (t test, p < 0.05). Depression was positively correlated with anxiety, age and time from diagnosis. Anxiety was positively correlated with depression and time from diagnosis (Pearson r = 0.62 and 0.29, p < 0.01). Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchial asthma had higher depression scores than patients with tuberculosis (t test, p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Depression and anxiety are very prevalent in patients with pulmonary disease, especially chronic disease. This may be a very important negative factor in patients' adaptation to the chronic course of their disease.
authors.affiliation: Attikon General Hospital, Second Psychiatric Department, Medical School, University of Athens, Greece. gmpsuoa@gmail.com
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moussas
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tselebis
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karkanias
authors.forename: Dimitra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stamouli
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ilias
authors.forename: Dionisios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bratis
authors.forename: Kalliopi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vassila-Demi