DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2015.v03i06.060

Pages: 2445-2448

Tuberculosis (TB) is a global health problem, particularly in developing countries. World health organization estimates that 2 billion people have latent TB, while another 3 million people worldwide die each year due to TB. Co morbidity of TB and depression is common and the prevalence of depression with a chronic physical condition ranges between 25 and 33%. Management of depression in TB patients presents a challenge to physicians. This was a prospective study conducted at a tertiary care hospital in South India from March 2014 to June 2015. Patients registered in the DOTS clinic, and currently on anti-tubercular drugs for at least one month duration were included in the study. Patients with medical disorders, psychiatric disorders and treatment for depression prior to the onset of TB were excluded from the study. The study was approved by institutional ethics committee and informed consent was taken from all the participants. A total of 147 participants were included in the study. 84% of TB patients had some degree of depression. Depression was higher in males and in age group of 26-40 years. Most common degree of depression was moderate depression followed by minimal depression. Other statistical significant difference in prevalence of depression was observed in unmarried, patients experiencing side effects, coughing and weight gain patients. Presence of a persistent cough at the time of the study was significantly related to depression (P=0.03), and of the 107 patients, 36 had persistent cough (33.6).