Abstract summary 

Depression, anxiety and stress (DAS) have been shown to be co-morbid with dyspepsia. Local data on the factors associated with these co-morbidities could inform the role of psychiatric intervention in affected patients.The aim of this study was to describe the frequency of undiagnosed DAS and their associated protective and risk correlates in a sample of patients undergoing endoscopies for dyspepsia.The study was conducted at a regional hospital's gastro-intestinal unit in KwaZulu-Natal province.A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 201 in- and outpatients with symptoms of dyspepsia awaiting endoscopy. Information on DAS symptomatology (using the DASS-21 screening questionnaire, as well as socio-demographic and clinical data) were collected.Following a descriptive analysis of the participants' socio-demographic and clinical details, linear regression models were fitted to identify potential risk and protective correlates linked to DAS symptomatology.The mean age of participants ( = 201) was 48.89 years, of whom approximately two-thirds ( = 133; 66.17%) were women, 97% ( = 195) were African and 64.68% ( = 130) resided in rural areas. Anxiety was the most prevalent symptom category ( = 149; 74.13%) versus depression ( = 96; 47.76%) and stress ( = 68; 33.83%) in each category of symptom (mild to extremely) severity. In the severe and extremely severe range, anxiety existed without co-morbid depression or stress in 61.19% of anxious patients. Alcohol use was significantly associated with all three symptom categories ( < 0.01).Given high frequencies of depression and anxiety in patients undergoing endoscopies for dyspepsia, screening for common mental disorders is essential.

Authors & Co-authors:  Tshabalala Sijabulisiwe J SJ Tomita Andrew A Ramlall Suvira S

Study Outcome 

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