A study of depression, anxiety, and stress in patients with Multidrug-resistant and Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious multisystem disease and a leading cause of mortality and morbidity. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) and Extensively drug- resistant (XDR) tuberculosis are characterized by resistance to various drugs. Because of shared risk factors psychiatric illnesses are common and hence this study explores common illnesses of depression, anxiety and stress in these patients. AIMS: To determine socio-demographic profile of MDR and XDR tuberculosis patients and determine the prevalence, severity and predictors of depression, anxiety and stress in these patients at baseline. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study and sample was selected by purposive sampling method. Patients were screened with SCAN. Those with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were administered Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) to assess their severity. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Out of 120 patients, 89.2% had depression, 90% had anxiety and 88.3% had stress. No significant statistical correlation was seen between socio demographic variables and stress and anxiety. Longer duration of illness was significantly associated with higher risk of depression (p = 0.00003). CONCLUSION: High rates of depression, anxiety and stress in MDR and XDR tuberculosis patients are noted which might be due to the chronic course of illness and its long treatment, social stigma, financial burden and physiological consequences of disease. Socio demographic variables do not significantly affect the profiles of anxiety, stress, and depression (except duration of illness).