Prevalence of depressive symptoms and related risk factors among patients with tuberculosis in China: A multistage cross-sectional study

Abstract

Poor mental health among tuberculosis (TB) patients affects not only their compliance with treatments but also their daily lives. Few studies in China have evaluated depressive symptoms among TB patients. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms and its associated risk factors among Chinese TB patients. A total of 1,342 TB patients were recruited using a multistage sampling method and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors of depressive symptoms. Of the 1,342 participants included in this study, 48.0% had depressive symptoms. Of these, 34.8% and 13.2% had mild and moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms, respectively. Factors associated with depressive symptoms included family dysfunction, TB-related stigma, poor doctor–patient communication, and lack of knowledge about TB. Depressive symptoms are common among TB patients in China. Efforts of government and stakeholders in the development of relevant policy documents to prevent stigma and create social support for TB patients are necessary. This would not only promote their mental health but also improve their compliance with treatments.