A cross sectional observational study to assess prevalence of depression and suicidality in patients of obsessive compulsive disorder

BACKGROUND: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a Chronic debilitating disorder affecting almost 1% of adults & is 4th most common psychiatric disorder. Patients with OCD suffer from one or more co-morbid disorder with major depression being most common. The increased severity of comorbid depressive and anxiety symptoms,increased severity of obsessions,feelings of hopelessness and past history of suicide attempt have been associated with worsening levels of suicidality in OCD. AIM: To find prevalence of depression and suicidality in patients of obsessive compulsive disorder. METHODS: Twenty five patients were included in the study who visited psychiatry OPD & were diagnosed as a case of obsessive compulsive disorder were evaluated by a psychiatrist as per International Classification of disease diagnostic criteria. Those with diagnosis of OCD were further assessed using Yale-brown obsessive-compulsive scale (Y-BOCS) , Hamilton depression rating scale (HAM-D) & Columbia suicide severity rating scale (C-SSRS to find the prevalence and assess severity. RESULTS: Among twenty five patients who were included 16 (64%) were female, 14(56%) were hindu by religion, 9(36%) were from the age group of 25-30 yrs , 6 (24%) had severe-very severe depression and 4 (16%) of them had suicidal ideation among which 2( 8%) had a previous suicide attempt. CONCLUSION: OCD is associated with high risk of not only depression but also of suicidal behaviour. It is vital that patients of OCD undergo detailed assessment for suicide risk and associated depression. Thus treatment management should also target co existing depressive symptoms so as to decrease morbidity and mortality.