Asunto(s)
Infecciones por VIH , Hepatitis B , Transmisión Vertical de Enfermedad Infecciosa , Sífilis , Femenino , Humanos , Embarazo , Hepatitis B/transmisión , Hepatitis B/epidemiología , Hepatitis B/prevención & control , Infecciones por VIH/transmisión , Infecciones por VIH/epidemiología , India/epidemiología , Transmisión Vertical de Enfermedad Infecciosa/prevención & control , Complicaciones Infecciosas del Embarazo , Sífilis/transmisión , Sífilis/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Anxiety and depression often exacerbate multimorbidity conditions, leading to increased disability rates among affected individuals. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess the mental health status of individuals with multimorbidity belonging to the marginalized population of Karachi, Pakistan. Specifically, the prevalence of anxiety and depression was investigated. METHODS: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2022 and June 2023 in 10 primary healthcare clinics located in 4 peri-urban areas of Karachi. A total of 9331 participants were included in the study. The Patient Health Questionnaire 4 (PHQ-4), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) were used to assess symptoms of anxiety and depression. The data collected were analyzed using the statistical analysis system (SAS) version 9.4. RESULTS: Among the study participants, 2894 (31%) were men and 5534 (59.3%) were women. The prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety was 31% among men and 59.3% among women. The age group between 41 and 60 years exhibited the highest rates of moderate to severe anxiety, 19.3% as evaluated by GAD-7 and 34.6% by PHQ-9. The Pathan ethnic group had the highest prevalence of anxiety (11%) and depression (28.3%) in the neighborhoods. Unemployed participants showed moderate to severe anxiety in 21.3% of the cases and moderate to severe depression in 25.5% of the cases. CONCLUSION: The study revealed a significant cooccurrence of anxiety and depression among individuals with multimorbidity in the marginalized population of Karachi, Pakistan. Furthermore, the presence of anxiety symptoms in multimorbidity patients with depression indicates a more unfavorable health state. It is essential to explore the implementation of screening measures and therapeutic interventions for comorbid anxiety and depression in this population to improve clinical outcomes.
Asunto(s)
Multimorbilidad , Áreas de Pobreza , Atención Primaria de Salud , Humanos , Pakistán/epidemiología , Masculino , Femenino , Adulto , Estudios Transversales , Persona de Mediana Edad , Prevalencia , Adulto Joven , Depresión/epidemiología , Ansiedad/epidemiología , Adolescente , Anciano , Trastornos Mentales/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
The COVID-19 pandemic, with its vast impact illustrated by 770 million confirmed cases and 6.9 million deaths as of September 21, 2023, has exposed a critical challenge: the infodemic. Effective communication and health literacy are pivotal in addressing this crisis. This article emphasizes the urgency of combating health misinformation, highlighting its tangible impact on public health and social well-being. Trustworthy sources, especially government agencies and public health officials, played a central role in shaping public behavior. Clear, accurate, and consistent messaging became vital. Health literacy, a fundamental determinant of pandemic response, empowered individuals to understand and act upon health information. Approximately 36% of adults exhibited basic or below-basic health literacy skills, emphasizing its crucial role. Improving health literacy emerged as a strategic imperative, enabling informed choices and proactive health protection. The pandemic underscores the vital role of effective communication and health literacy in combating health misinformation, fostering informed decision-making, and safeguarding public health.