Title : Baseline prevalence and associated factors of depression among newly diagnosed hypertensive patients attending health facilities in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia: An ongoing longitudinal study
Abstract:
Background: The co-occurrence of hypertension and depression is increasing globally. This intensifies cardiovascular risk and complicates clinical management. Baseline mental health morbidity is commonly underdiagnosed among patients newly diagnosed with hypertension in low- and middle-income settings. Determining the initial burden of depression is critical to understanding how each condition affects the other over time.
Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression and its associated factors among individuals newly diagnosed with hypertension in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
Methods: A total of 485 individuals newly diagnosed with hypertension were recruited from health facilities in Bahir Dar city. Probable depression was assessed with the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) at a cutoff score of 10 or higher. Independent variables were measured with standardized tools. Factors associated with baseline depression were identified using Poisson regression with a robust variance estimator to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR).
Results: The point prevalence of depression was 14.0% (95% CI, 11.2%–17.4%). The most frequently reported depressive symptoms were fatigue/low energy (55.7%), sleep disturbance (54.0%), and little interest or pleasure in doing things (43.0%). Female sex (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio (aPR) = 2.44; 95% CI = 1.33–4.48), moderate pain (aPR = 3.36; 95% CI = 1.64–6.88), severe pain (aPR = 5.21; 95% CI = 2.50–10.8), and moderate alcohol risk (aPR = 1.95; 95% CI = 1.11–3.43) were independently associated with higher probable depression.
Conclusion: The prevalence of probable depression among individuals newly diagnosed with hypertension was high. Being female, having pain, and having a moderate alcohol risk level were associated with higher depression prevalence. The study emphasizes that primary hypertension treatment should incorporate mental health screening and pain management. Further research is necessary to examine how depression at enrollment influences blood pressure control over time and to explore the long-term relationship between these two chronic conditions.
