title: Depression in multiple sclerosis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multiple sclerosis (MS) manifests also with the symptoms of affective disorders. Depression is the most common mental disorder among patients with MS and it has negative impact on their working ability, social relations and quality of life. The aim of this study is to investigate gender, age, marital status, education level and employment related to patients with depressive symptoms in population of MS, treated at the Department of Neurology, Clinical Center University of Sarajevo.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the study it was analyzed 50 randomly selected patients with various types of multiple sclerosis. Severity of depression was evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 33 female and 17 male patients aged 21 to 60 years. In the sample of MS patients there were 56% with depressive disorder. There is no statistically significant difference between patients gender. Depression is more frequent among younger and middle age patients, while all the patients older than 51 years are in a normal mood (total 31.9%). Significantly higher percentage of non-depressive patients (72.2%) are married, while depression is present among all divorced patients (10.7%), majority of single (35.8%) and widowers (21.4%). Taking into consideration level of education, there is a statistically significant difference as follows: depression is more frequent among patients who graduated university (46.4%) and secondary school (50%) compared to ones who finished only primary school (3.6%). There is significantly higher number of unemployed and retired patients with depressive symptoms (75%) in comparison to the employed ones.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Depression occurs more frequently among MS patients who are younger, unemployed, highly educated and without spouse. There is no statistically significant difference between male and female patients.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Clinic, Clinical Center, University Sarajevo Bolnicka 25. 71 000 Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina. azra_alajbegovic@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Azra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alajbegovic
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Loga
authors.forename: Naida
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tiro
authors.forename: Salem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alajbegovic
authors.forename: Ljubica
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Todorovic
authors.lastname: Jasminika-Djelilovic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017522:Bosnia and Herzegovina; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult