Association between Depression, Anxiety and Quality of Life in Patients with Pain Symptoms
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Abstract
Background: Pain is a common problem in medical practice and causes suffering in many patients. It is associated with many psychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety disorders. Moreover, it is a major factor causing decreased quality of life.
Objective: To study the association between depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and quality of life in pain patients as well as the prevalence of depressive disorder and anxiety disorder in pain patients.
Research design and method: Data were obtained from 42 pain patients at pain relief unit and outpatients psychiatric unit of Ramathibodi Hospital in 2010-2012. The patients were interviewed by researchers and research assistants. Questionnaire include demographic characteristics, Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Thai Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and SF-36 (Thai version).
Results: Pain scale was found to be associated with depression scale and anxiety scale (P = 0.005 and P = 0.001, respectively). Prevalence of depressive disorder and anxiety disorder was 12.8 and 20 percent, respectively. Moreover, depression scale and anxiety scale were associated (P = 0.000). Depression scale and anxiety scale had reciprocal effects, but they did not affect pain scale. Also, pain scale was asscociated with decresed quality of life in many dimensions.
Conclusion: Pain scale was found to be associated with depression, anxiety and decreased quality of life. It emphasized the importance of psychological assessment and treatment of pain patients.
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References
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