Stress, anxiety, and depression among patients admitted to orthopedic wards in two public hospitals of Peshawar

Abstract

influence on physical health. Most patients with damages sustained from orthopedic accidents recover but are left with many undesirable health consequences. It mainly affects the mental status of patients, their relatives, and careers. The post-injury mental health problems include hallucinations, nervousness, sleep and eating disorders, and different grades of anxiety, irritation, and sadness.
Objectives: To assess the levels of anxiety, stress, and depression in patients having fractures admitted to orthopedic wards and their association with selected demographic variables.
Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from September 01, 2021, to November 30, 2021, on 200 patients admitted for fractures to orthopedic wards of two public sector hospitals of Peshawar using convenient sampling technique. Data were collected through DASS21 validated questionnaire after informed consent from patients, and analyzed for descriptive statistics.
Results: Of the 200 patients with fractures, 55.5% were suffering from stress, 39.5% were suffering from anxiety, and other than that 58.5% were suffering from depression. Stress had significant association with educational status, while anxiety had significant with gender and educational status. Depression had no significant association with all the selected variables.
Conclusion: Post traumatic physical illness in patients with fractures contributes substantially to mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression.