Determination of depression, anxiety and stress levels among heart patients in Nasiriyah, Iraq

To examine the depression, anxiety and stress mean scores of heart patients admitted to a training hospital and heart center in Nasiriyah, Iraq, and to reveal whether there are differences in the demographic data (age, gender, marital status, income) of heart patients according to their depression, anxiety and stress mean scores. This constitutes the purpose of this study. A descriptive study was conducted with 200 heart patients who applied to receive treatment at a Teaching Hospital and a Heart Center in Nasiriyah, Iraq, between June and September 2022. Data were collected face to face. Sociodemographic data collection form and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21- Arabic version were used to collect data. SPSS package program was used for data analysis, the normality of the data was determined by the skewness and kurtosis test, and number, percentage, arithmetic mean, t test and ANOVA test were used in the analysis of the data. 76.5% of the study group was between the ages of 51-64, the majority were male, 66.5% were married, 33.5% were primary school graduates, and the mean depression, anxiety and stress scores were 13.65±6, respectively. It was found to be 24, 11.11±7.03 and 9.92±6.13. There is a statistically significant difference in depression, anxiety and stress mean scores according to age, gender, marital status, education, financial situation, place of residence and smoking status (p <0.05). After a diagnosis of heart disease is made, patients should be evaluated psychosocially by nurses and risk factors should be determined. A preventive mental health approach should be provided to protect against potential risk factors that may cause comorbid diagnoses, such as depression, anxiety and stress