Dr Hajah Lailawati (2R) and Head of Psychiatry Services Dr Ramli Hassan (R) and other invited guests listening to one of the presentations.
Like many illnesses, depression kills, too.
When coupled with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer and respiratory illnesses, which have been deemed responsible for 60 per cent of the world's deaths, the depression that follows could actually decrease an individual's chance of survival.
Studies have indicated that women in the general population run a 10-25 per cent risk of being depressed whist men run a five to 10 per cent risk. However, the percentage is even higher for patients living with a chronic physical illness as they have a 25 to 33 per cent risk of developing depression.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has described depression as a common form of mental disorder characterised by sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy and poor concentration.
In its severity, depression can also lead to suicide as it substantially impairs an individual's ability to cope with daily life.
Speaking at the opening of the Mental Health Forum on 'Mental Health in Chronic Physical Illness' yesterday on the occasion of Mental Health Day 2010, the Acting Director-General of Medical Services, Dr Hajah Lailawati binti Haji Jumat, also said that depression not only causes distress and suffering to the patient and their families but "also worsens the physical illness, weakens the patient's ability to cope with the illness and its treatment" thus creating a "vicious cycle of worsening physical and emotional symptoms".
Citing a few examples of the consequences of mental health disorders, Dr Hajah Lailawati said that patients who survive a Myocardial infarction, or heart attack, but suffer from major depression, have a 17 per cent risk of dying within six months following the incident when compared to only three per cent in those who are not depressed.
"In fact, depression has been proven to be such a risk factor for morbidity and mortality in cardiac disease that the American Heart Association has recommended that all cardiac patients be screened for depression," she said, addressing a room full of healthcare providers at the Empire Hotel and Country Club.
Anxiety disorders, as well, have been shown to be associated with a 74 per cent increased risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and death in patients living with a form of heart disease.
Furthermore, she also said that depression is also common in patients with cancer, affecting 15 to 25 per cent of patients whilst increasing the mortality rate by 24 to 39 per cent as compared to patients who are not depressed.
Anxiety and depression have also been shown to be common in diabetic patients, she said, with one in every four diabetic suffering from this disorder and increases the mortality risk by 30 per cent whilst also increasing healthcare costs by 50 to 75 per cent.
"Control of these psychological symptoms is important to avoid the occurrence of metabolic problems and other complications of the diabetes," she said.
Therefore, patients, their families and carers are encouraged to be more aware of the importance of mental health and illness in the care of patients with chronic physical illness.
Though effective treatments for these mental health problems are available, she stressed that in order to reduce the distress experienced by patients and their families; to improve the prognosis of their illness and their survival rate; and to reduce the economic and social burden on society, "the time has come for better integration of care of those chronic physical patients both at the specialist and primary care level".
Three speakers from Ripas Hospital were invited to talk at yesterday's forum in which they shared with other healthcare providers topics - Psychosocial Aspects of Physical Illness by Dr Ahmad Rifai Farid, Mental Health and Illness Among Patients with Chronic Physical Illness by Dr Ramli Hassan and Empowering Patients with Chronic Physical Illness and their carers by Dr Abang Bennett Abang Taha.
When coupled with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer and respiratory illnesses, which have been deemed responsible for 60 per cent of the world's deaths, the depression that follows could actually decrease an individual's chance of survival.
Studies have indicated that women in the general population run a 10-25 per cent risk of being depressed whist men run a five to 10 per cent risk. However, the percentage is even higher for patients living with a chronic physical illness as they have a 25 to 33 per cent risk of developing depression.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has described depression as a common form of mental disorder characterised by sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy and poor concentration.
In its severity, depression can also lead to suicide as it substantially impairs an individual's ability to cope with daily life.
Speaking at the opening of the Mental Health Forum on 'Mental Health in Chronic Physical Illness' yesterday on the occasion of Mental Health Day 2010, the Acting Director-General of Medical Services, Dr Hajah Lailawati binti Haji Jumat, also said that depression not only causes distress and suffering to the patient and their families but "also worsens the physical illness, weakens the patient's ability to cope with the illness and its treatment" thus creating a "vicious cycle of worsening physical and emotional symptoms".
Citing a few examples of the consequences of mental health disorders, Dr Hajah Lailawati said that patients who survive a Myocardial infarction, or heart attack, but suffer from major depression, have a 17 per cent risk of dying within six months following the incident when compared to only three per cent in those who are not depressed.
"In fact, depression has been proven to be such a risk factor for morbidity and mortality in cardiac disease that the American Heart Association has recommended that all cardiac patients be screened for depression," she said, addressing a room full of healthcare providers at the Empire Hotel and Country Club.
Anxiety disorders, as well, have been shown to be associated with a 74 per cent increased risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and death in patients living with a form of heart disease.
Furthermore, she also said that depression is also common in patients with cancer, affecting 15 to 25 per cent of patients whilst increasing the mortality rate by 24 to 39 per cent as compared to patients who are not depressed.
Anxiety and depression have also been shown to be common in diabetic patients, she said, with one in every four diabetic suffering from this disorder and increases the mortality risk by 30 per cent whilst also increasing healthcare costs by 50 to 75 per cent.
"Control of these psychological symptoms is important to avoid the occurrence of metabolic problems and other complications of the diabetes," she said.
Therefore, patients, their families and carers are encouraged to be more aware of the importance of mental health and illness in the care of patients with chronic physical illness.
Though effective treatments for these mental health problems are available, she stressed that in order to reduce the distress experienced by patients and their families; to improve the prognosis of their illness and their survival rate; and to reduce the economic and social burden on society, "the time has come for better integration of care of those chronic physical patients both at the specialist and primary care level".
Three speakers from Ripas Hospital were invited to talk at yesterday's forum in which they shared with other healthcare providers topics - Psychosocial Aspects of Physical Illness by Dr Ahmad Rifai Farid, Mental Health and Illness Among Patients with Chronic Physical Illness by Dr Ramli Hassan and Empowering Patients with Chronic Physical Illness and their carers by Dr Abang Bennett Abang Taha.
Written by : Siti Hajar
Source taken from:
Borneo Bulletin (2010) Depression with chronic illness cuts survival rate. <http://www.borneobulletin.com.bn/mon/nov29h2.htm> Update: November 29 November 2010.
