Brief Article
Copyright ©2012 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. May 28, 2012; 18(20): 2561-2568
Published online May 28, 2012. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i20.2561
Prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders in Chinese gastroenterological outpatients
Xiao-Jing Li, Yan-Ling He, Hong Ma, Zhe-Ning Liu, Fu-Jun Jia, Ling Zhang, Lan Zhang
Xiao-Jing Li, Ling Zhang, Lan Zhang, Mental Health Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Yan-Ling He, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
Hong Ma, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing 100007, China
Zhe-Ning Liu, Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China
Fu-Jun Jia, Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Li XJ performed statistical analysis and wrote the manuscript; He YL, Ma H, Liu ZN, Jia FJ and Zhang L carried out the study; Zhang L provided the analytical assistance; He YL was responsible for study design; both Zhang L and He YL were involved in editing the manuscript.
Supported by The former Wyeth Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Madison, NJ, United States
Correspondence to: Dr. Lan Zhang, Mental Health Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China. lanzhang3@gmail.com
Telephone: +86-28-85422633   Fax: +86-28-85422632
Received: November 10, 2011
Revised: February 20, 2012
Accepted: March 9, 2012
Published online: May 28, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the prevalence and physicians’ detection rate of depressive and anxiety disorders in gastrointestinal (GI) outpatients across China.

METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in the GI outpatient departments of 13 general hospitals. A total of 1995 GI outpatients were recruited and screened with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The physicians of the GI departments performed routine clinical diagnosis and management without knowing the HADS score results. Subjects with HADS scores ≥ 8 were subsequently interviewed by psychiatrists using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) to make further diagnoses.

RESULTS: There were 1059 patients with HADS score ≥ 8 and 674 (63.64%) of them undertook the MINI interview by psychiatrists. Based on the criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition), the adjusted current prevalence for depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and comorbidity of both disorders in the GI outpatients was 14.39%, 9.42% and 4.66%, respectively. Prevalence of depressive disorders with suicidal problems [suicide attempt or suicide-related ideation prior or current; module C (suicide) of MINI score ≥ 1] was 5.84% in women and 1.64% in men. The GI physicians’ detection rate of depressive and anxiety disorders accounted for 4.14%.

CONCLUSION: While the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders is high in Chinese GI outpatients, the detection rate of depressive and anxiety disorders by physicians is low.

Keywords: Depression, Anxiety, Prevalence, Gastrointestinal outpatients, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview