Prevalence of depression and depression prediction factors in patients presenting to the emergency department with dysmenorrhea

Introduction Depression rate of patients who present to the emergency department with dysmenorrhea is thought to be higher than the normal population. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression and related factors in patients who applied to the adult emergency department with dysmenorrhea. Materials And Methods This prospective, cross-sectional study will be conducted with patients who applied to the Adult Emergency Department of Dokuz Eylül University Hospital between 15/09/2020 and 05/01/2021 with dysmenorrhea. Data recording and evaluation form used to collect data about the patients, Visual Analogue Scale will be used to evaluate the severity of dysmenorrhea, and Beck Depression Scale will be used to investigate the frequency of depression. The scale made by the patient using the self-assessment method. The relationship between demographic characteristics, pain characteristics, comorbidities, menstrual characteristics, lifestyle and dietary habits, and depression in patients describing dysmenorrhea was investigated. Results 149 female patients aged between 18-35 included in the study. Mean age was 22.0±3.1. Depression rate according to Beck Depression Scale in patients with dysmenorrhea was 58.4%. Of these, 4.7% (n=7) were severe, 15.4% (n=23) moderate, 38.3% (n=57) was in mild depression. The mean age of depressed patients was 22.1 ± 3.1 years. No statistically significant difference was found between the education and marital status of the individuals and the frequency of depression. The frequency of depression in patients without diarrhea symptoms was found to be increased compared to patients with diarrhea symptoms. (49.2% vs. 64.2% p:0.046) There was no statistically significant difference between abdominal and groin pain, nausea, headache, frequent urination, joint pain, irritability, fatigue, breast tenderness and depression frequency. The frequency of depression was found to be higher in those with similar complaints in the family compared to those who did not have similar complaints in the patient's family. (53.0% vs. 75% p:0.020) There was no statistically significant difference between the need for analgesics, response to analgesics, already on treatment for depression, having an additional disease and additional gynecological disease, and the frequency of depression. The rate of depression in patients with sleep problems was found to be significantly higher than those without sleep problems. (73.5% vs. 53.9% p:0.041) There was no statistically significant difference between psychiatric drug use in the last month, existing psychiatric illness, smoking, alcohol use, salt use, caffeine use, sugar use, exercise pattern, and depression. According to the Visual Analogue Scale, the mean pain score of the depressed patients was higher than the non-depressed patients (7±1.7 vs. 5.0±2.1 p:0.023). No statistically significant difference was found between the age of menarche, the frequency of the menstruation cycle, the number of pregnancies and the frequency of depression. Conclusion We found in patients with existing family history of dysmenorrhea, sleep disorders and higher pain severity is higher rate of depression according to Beck Depression Scale.