Depression in Tuberculosis: Patients versus Attendants

Abstract

Introduction: Tuberculosis with depression is a vicious cycle of underdiagnosed syndemic. Reported number of cases vary widely - may be due to ambiguity in defining family support, and/or different depression measuring scales.

Aim: Aim of this study is to find 1. Incidence and extent of depression in tuberculosis inpatients 2. Estimate and correlate the same in attendants 3. To compare two depression scores in each case.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study of quantitative distribution of depression score on 2 different scales, in 19 newly diagnosed tuberculosis inpatients, apropos their one attending family member was assessed. Wilcoxon’s Signed Rank Test was used to compare the 2 scale outcomes.

Results: Patients’ depression score was never negligible (£16). One borderline clinical depression, 10 moderate depressions, 4 severe depressions, and 4 extreme depressions were elicited. There was an age-wise bimodality of depression in patients – unseen among attendants.  The depression scores in 19 patient-attendant pairs didn’t match. Among attendants, 8 normal ups-and-downs, 5 mild mood disturbances, 3 mild depressions, and 3 moderate depressions were elicited. The two depression scores were statistically similar (in patients: p = 0.3866; in attendants: p = 0.6318) at 95% confidence level. As per patient-attendant relation, in brother-brother, father-son, son father, mother daughter, and daughter-mother – but for few exceptions – a rising trend was seen.

Conclusion: Depression-tuberculosis syndemic was nearly universal. Attendants’ mental health was an ancillary concern. Age-wise bimodality of depression in patients indicated an extra thrust area. Among attendants, depression score matched more with emotional parentality and gender.