A2111 Determining the prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders in primary health care patients with hypertension and/or diabetes in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders in primary health care patients diagnosed with hypertension and/or diabetes. Methods: This cross sectional study included 79 participants (87% female; 13% male) from five primary health care centres in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I) was utilized to diagnose depression and anxiety disorders. Descriptive statistics were used, and a multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association between hypertension and diabetes and depression and anxiety disorders. Results: The majority of patients (97%) were on treatment for hypertension and 39% of them were being treated for diabetes. The most common diagnosis was panic disorder (40%), followed by post-traumatic stress disorder (33%), depression was 32%, generalized anxiety disorder (17%), social phobia (10%) and agoraphobia (10%). A comorbid diagnosis of hypertension and other medical conditions was significantly associated with a diagnosis of panic disorder. Only hypertension was associated with a higher prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders, compared to diabetes comorbid with hypertension. Conclusion: The prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders is high in patients diagnosed with hypertension and/or diabetes. Therefore, the integration of mental health care in the treatment of people with hypertension and diabetes is recommended.