Prevalence of depression and anxiety among adult patients with multiple sclerosis at Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of depression and anxiety in adult multiple sclerosis patients attending tertiary facilities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted among MS patients in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among MS patients at Prince Sultan Military Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between April 2020 and January 2021. The questionnaire consisted of socio-demographic characteristics and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Univariate using Chi-square test and multivariate regression analysis had been performed to determine the factors associated with anxiety and depression among MS patients.

Results: A total of 328 MS patients took part in the study. The most prevalent age group was 36–45 years old (38.4%), with over 70% of the participants being females. Anxiety and depression were shown to be prevalent in MS patients at 42.9 percent and 58.8 percent, respectively. According to statistical tests, being less educated and having partial to severe disability was linked to an increased rate of anxiety and depression, whereas being female was more prone to anxiety symptoms but not depression.

Conclusion: Depression was more frequent than anxiety. As a result, while assessing psychiatric diseases in the study group, depression/anxiety may be expected to be more frequent amongst those of greater disability.