Key result
Two or more chronic conditions are linked to ~75% higher odds of undiagnosed depression.
Why the study?
Depression is often undiagnosed in medical outpatient departments where patients may present with somatic symptoms, creating a need to assess its prevalence and correlates.
What is the prevalence of undiagnosed depression and its sociodemographic and clinical correlates among adult patients attending a medical outpatient department?
Cross-Sectional (n=350)
No
What is the prevalence of undiagnosed depression and its sociodemographic and clinical correlates among adult patients attending a medical outpatient department?
Odds Ratio: 1.75 (95% CI 1.12–2.62)
p-value: p=0.02
Undiagnosed depression is highly prevalent among medical outpatients, particularly in females, those with lower education, and those with multiple chronic conditions, highlighting the need for routine screening.
Undiagnosed depression affects over one-third of medical OPD patients; cross-sectional data leaves open need for prospective screening trials before practice change.
BACKGROUND: Depression is a prevalent and debilitating mental health disorder that is often undiagnosed, particularly in medical outpatient departments (OPDs), where patients may present with somatic symptoms. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the prevalence of undiagnosed depression and explore its sociodemographic and clinical correlates in adult patients attending an OPD. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Bahria International Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, from June 2024 to December 2024. A total of 350 adult patients were included in the study. Data were collected using a structured, pre-tested questionnaire that included both sociodemographic and clinical information. Sociodemographic data collected included age, gender, marital status, education level, employment status, and socioeconomic status. RESULTS: The study found that 125 (35.7%) participants had clinically significant depression, with 56 (44.8%) of these cases being undiagnosed. Sociodemographic factors such as lower socioeconomic status (p = 0.04) and marital status (divorced/widowed) (p = 0.02) were significantly associated with undiagnosed depression. Hypertension (p = 0.02) and diabetes (p = 0.01) were also significant predictors of undiagnosed depression. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that female gender (OR = 1.45, p = 0.04), lower education levels (OR = 2.10, p = 0.02), and the presence of two or more chronic conditions (OR = 1.75, p = 0.02) were independently associated with undiagnosed depression. CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the high prevalence of undiagnosed depression in medical OPD patients, particularly among those with chronic medical conditions. Routine screening for depression in OPDs, especially for patients with chronic diseases, is essential to ensure early detection and improve patient outcomes. Further research is needed to explore the long-term impact of undiagnosed depression and to develop targeted interventions for high-risk groups.
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Javed et al. (2025) conducted a cross-sectional in Undiagnosed depression (n=350). Two or more chronic conditions vs. One chronic condition was evaluated on Undiagnosed depression (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.12-2.62, p=0.02). Among adult medical outpatients, 16% had undiagnosed depression, which was independently associated with having two or more chronic conditions (OR 1.75).
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