Summary
Background: Depression in TB patients carries a heightened risk of treatment failure and a lower quality of life. However, no study to date has documented depression prevalence among TB patients in Afghanistan.
Objectives: We aimed to assess depression prevalence in TB patients in Southern Afghanistan.
Methods: Between February 2023 and May 2024, a sample of 1,003 TB patients aged 18 years and above were randomly sampled in Southern Afghanistan. The questionnaire gathered patients’ sociodemographic information, clinical characteristics, social support level, and the PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire). We fitted a binary logistic regression model to identify correlates of depression symptoms among TB patients.
Results: Out of 1,003 patients, 69.6% (95% CI: 66.6%-72.4) had depression symptoms. We found that patients with no formal education [AOR = 3.18, 95%CI (2.35-4.30)], those with severe disease [1.84 (1.30-2.59)], patients with medical comorbidity [1.88 (1.29-2.74)], and those with low social support [1.69 (1.22-2.33)] were more likely to have depression symptoms.
Conclusion: TB patients in Afghanistan have high levels of depressive symptoms. Therefore, this study advocates for dedicated mental health screening and counseling services for TB patients in Afghanistan.
Keywords: Afghanistan; Depression; Determinants; Tuberculosis.