Prevalence And Risk Factors of Anxiety and Depressive Disorders in Patients with Lumbar Spondylosis in Two Tertiary Health Institutions in North-central Nigeria

Abstract

Lumbar spondylosis is a degenerative condition of the lumbar spine that is highly prevalent in older adults and patients presenting with chronic low back pain. Lumbar spondylosis is associated with significant psychological comorbidities, particularly anxiety and depression, which can adversely impact the management and overall well-being of affected individuals. This study aims to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders among patients with lumbar spondylosis and to identify associated socio-demographic and clinical factors.

This study was conducted at two tertiary health institutions in Ilorin, Kwara State. Using a cross-sectional hospital based design, a total of 176 patients aged 40 years and above with lumbar spondylosis were recruited. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to evaluate the prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders. EPI-INFO version 7.2.6.0 was employed for statistical analyses to determine associations between psychological comorbidities and various socio-demographic and clinical variables. Level of statistical significance was set at 0.05. The prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders among the study population was 23.3% and 20.5%, respectively. Female gender, unemployment, higher educational attainment, and prolonged duration of back pain were significantly associated with anxiety disorder. No significant socio-demographic or clinical factors were associated with depression.

The high prevalence of anxiety and depression among patients with lumbar spondylosis underscores the need for a multidisciplinary approach to management.