DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AMONG PATIENTS ADMITTED TO THE OUTPATIENT NEUROLOGY SERVICE AT LAURO WANDERLEY UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and severity of depressive symptoms among patients admitted to the HULW-UFPB outpatient neurology service due to varied complaints. The sociodemographic and epidemiological profile of this population was further evaluated. Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, qualitative and quantitative study carried out from March 2013 to August 2015, with the application of the Beck-II Depression Inventory in 235 patients randomly selected between 17 and 59 years of age. The data were analyzed using univariate and bivariate inferential statistics. Results: There was a prevalence of women (70% of respondents), with an average of 40.1 years, married, and with a high school education; 48% had some work activity, with a work journey of two shifts (22.1%). Signs of minimal or absent depression were observed in 51.9% of the cases; while mild, moderate and severe symptoms were found in 23.4%, 15.7%, and 8.9% of the patients evaluated. Conclusion: Depressive symptoms reported in this study were found to be about 5 to 9 times more prevalent than those reported in the literature, with an alarming percentage of severe depressive symptoms. These findings indicate the presence of an important public health problem and should further guide the investigation of the underestimated depressive complaints in this population. DESCRIPTORS Depression. Neurology. Epidemiology.