Prevalence of depression in Parkinson’s disease patients in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is associated with cognitive and psychiatric disturbances including depression, anxiety, psychotic symptoms and sleep disturbances. These psychiatric manifestations have a negative impact on disease course and the medical management of PD patients. Major depression has a greater negative impact on patients’ quality of life than abnormal motor function, and is associated with faster cognitive decline and progression of motor deficits. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of depression in PD outpatients in Ethiopia. We determined the age range in which depression in PD patients is most common, the most common symptoms of depression, and the epidemiologic confounders associated with depression in PD patients. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional point prevalence study of all PD patients attending the follow-up clinics of the departments of neurology at Black Lion Teaching and Zewuditu Memorial Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from May 2013 to August 2013. We collected information using a structured questionnaire which assessed demographic information, clinical history, and neurologic function. RESULT: Of the 101 patients surveyed, the prevalence of depression was 58/101(57.4%). Of these patients, 1 of 58(1.7%) was on antidepressant medications. These low proportions likely indicate a low index of suspicion and under treatment of depression in PD outpatients. CONCLUSION: In Ethiopian PD outpatients, depression is under recognized and undertreated. We recommend routine use of screening tools. In those who screen positive for depression, treatment is warranted. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings, and to increase our understanding of specific signs and symptoms of depression in the context of PD. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40734-014-0010-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.