Frequency of Depression in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients

Abstract

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) remains a major global health challenge, particularly in high-burden countries like Pakistan. While the physical impact of PTB is well-documented, the psychological burden, especially depression, remains underexplored in regional literature, leading to a gap in comprehensive patient care. Objective: To determine the frequency of depression among patients diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis and assess its association with demographic variables such as age and gender. Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted at the Pulmonology Department of Fatima Jinnah Institute of Chest Diseases from May 7 to November 8, 2024. A total of 450 newly diagnosed PTB patients were included through consecutive sampling. Patients with pre-existing psychiatric conditions or on antidepressant therapy were excluded. Depression was assessed using the validated DECK Depression Scale. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic and clinical data; Chi-square tests evaluated associations between depression and demographic variables. Ethical approval was obtained from the institutional review board, and informed consent was secured in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Results: Of 450 participants (mean age 41 ± 14.49 years; 68.9% male), 19.1% (n = 86) were found to have depression. No significant association was observed between depression and age (p = 0.6616) or gender (p = 0.7755). These findings suggest depression is a significant comorbidity in PTB regardless of demographic stratification. Conclusion: Depression affects nearly one in five PTB patients, emphasizing the need for routine mental health screening and integrated psychological care in tuberculosis management. This has direct implications for improving treatment adherence and holistic patient outcomes.