The Prevalence of depression and its clinical characteristics among thalassemic patients in Baghdad

Background: Thalassemia disorder is an inherited blood disorder causes the body to produce less hemoglobin, it’s classified to thalassemia major, thalassemia intermedia and thalassemia minor. Depression is a mood disorder that causes persistent feeling of sadness or emptiness and loss of interest that affects daily living.Aim of the study: to assess the prevalence of depression and its socio-demographic and clinical characteristics factors in sample of thalassemic patients. Methods: a cross-sectional study done with 140 thalassemic patients, from April 2022 to march 2023, the screening of depression done by Beck Depression Inventory scale, the diagnose of depression made according to DSM-5 criteria for major depression disorder. The demographic and clinical data were also collected.Results: the prevalence of depression in total was 32.9%, with the highest prevalence among thalassemia major patients 50%, while it was 37.5% among thalassemia intermedia patients and 12% among thalassemia minor patients. there was a significant association between depression and socio-demographics’ data of thalassemia major and intermedia, And insignificant association in the data of thalassemia minor. Conclusion: Depression was common among thalassemic patients. And the severe type (thalassemia major) had the highest rate of depression. Which make them in increased need for psychosocial interventions and support.