Author(s)

Bineta Jho Diagne^1*, Abid Hakima², Ibtissam El Harch¹, Soumaya Benmaamar¹, Bahra Nassiba¹, Bourkhime Hind³, Imad Chakri³, Maiouak Moncef¹, Nada Otmani³, Mohammed El Abkari², Mohamed Amine Berraho¹, Samira El Fakir¹, Nabil Tachfouti¹

¹Laboratory of Epidemiology, Clinical Research and Community Health Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry of Fez, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco.
²Hepato-Gastroenterology Department, CHU Hassan II, Fez, Morocco.
³Biostatistic-Informatics Unit, Laboratory of Epidemiology, Clinical Research and Community Health, FMPDF, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco.

Introduction: Hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infections are a major public health problem in Morocco and around the world. Recent research has shown that patients with chronic viral hepatitis have high levels of anxiety and depression. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with chronic viral hepatitis and to identify associated factors. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study involving 94 patients followed up for chronic viral hepatitis B or C at the diagnostic center of the Hassan II University Hospital in Fez. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to assess depression and anxiety. Participants with a score above 7 were considered depressed or anxious. Results: The prevalence of depressive and anxious symptoms was 47.9% and 41.5% respectively. Participants with hepatitis B had higher depression and anxiety scores than those with hepatitis C and the difference was not statistically significant. In multivariate analysis, participants with age ≥50 years (OR = 5.40, CI95% = (1.75 - 16.68)), low income (OR = 2.81, CI95% = (1.11 - 7.13)) and complications (OR = 3.79, CI95% = (1.31 - 10.94)) had a high risk of depression. The risk of anxiety was higher in participants with age ≥50 years (OR = 2.76, CI95% = (1.05 - 7.30)) and low monthly income (OR = 4.50, CI95% = (1.80 - 11.22)). Conclusion: The high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in particular depression and anxiety is an important issue in the management of chronic hepatitis.

Anxiety, Depression, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HADS, Morocco

Diagne, B.J., Hakima, A., El Harch, I., Benmaamar, S., Nassiba, B., Hind, B., Chakri, I., Moncef, M., Otmani, N., El Abkari, M., Berraho, M.A., El Fakir, S. and Tachfouti, N. (2022) Depression and Anxiety in Patients with Hepatitis B and C in a Moroccan Region: A Cross-Sectional Study. Open Access Library Journal, 9, 1-12. doi: 10.4236/oalib.1109450.