Prevalence of depression and its risk factors among patients with chronic respiratory disease in rural south India – a community-based cross-sectional study

Objectives: The objectives of the study are to assess the prevalence and risk factors for depression among rural residents with chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs). Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among individuals aged 18 years and above who were known to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)/asthma in a rural block of Vellore district, Tamil Nadu. The interview tools included the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for depression, the Global Initiative for Asthma for Assessing Asthma Severity, and the Clinical COPD Questionnaire for assessing COPD severity. Results: A total of 93 individuals were included in the study. A large proportion were more than 70 years old (38.7%), 26% of the patients were widowed or single, 55% were unemployed, and 43% were illiterate (43%). Most of the study population belonged to either lower (47.3%) or lower-middle (34.2%) socioeconomic classes. Most of the patients (79, 85%) in the study had been diagnosed with asthma, while 14 (15%) had a diagnosis of COPD. The prevalence of any depression was 44.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 32.81–53.21%). Although not statistically significant, those with severe CRDs were 2.3 times (95% CI: 0.69–7.67) more likely to have severe depression. After adjusting for age, gender, and other factors, low income (odds ratio = 4.16, 95% CI: 1.5–11.06) was independently associated with depression. Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of depression among patients with CRDs, with patients needing more targeted screening and management for the same.