• Dragana Kačavenda-Babović, Predrag Đurić, Radomir Babović, Milotka Fabri, Maja Ružić, and Vojislava Bugarski Ignjatović.
• 1Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Institute of Public Health, Sombor, Serbia; Histopathology Department, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, United Kingdom; 2Queen Margaret University Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia; 3Department of Ophthalmology, James Paget University Hospitals, Gorleston-on-Sea, United Kingdom; 4Faculty of Pharmacy of Novi Sad, University Business Academy in Novi Sad, Serbia; 5Department of Infectious Diseases, University Clinical Centre of Vojvodina; Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia; 6Department of Neurology, University Clinical Centre of Vojvodina; Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
• Acta Clin Croat. 2021 Dec 1; 60 (4): 579-589.

AbstractThe objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of depression and anxiety among patients with chronic hepatitis C and how depression and anxiety correlate with respective health-related quality of life (HRQoL) domains, sociodemographic factors, and clinico-epidemiological characteristics. This prospective study involved 150 patients with chronic hepatitis C awaiting interferon treatment for hepatitis C and 150 healthy subjects. All individuals enrolled in the study completed the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire and Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale. The symptoms showed greater severity/score among patients with chronic hepatitis C for both depression (t=3.37; p<0.01) and anxiety (t=2.35; p<0.05). Regression analysis was used for estimating the relationship between depression and the set of predictors (domains of the SF-36 questionnaire). Three HRQoL domains (Physical Functioning, Vitality, and Mental Health) were found to have the strongest predictive contribution to the occurrence of depression. A series of Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests showed a significant difference in depression level between marital status categories (χ2(2)=7.86, p<0.05). Divorced participants had significantly higher scores compared to married participants (Z=-2.40, p<0.05) and single participants (Z=-2.75, p<0.01). Unemployment was associated with a higher degree of depression and anxiety. There was no association identified between duration of the disease, route of hepatitis C virus transmission, existence of cirrhosis, and depression or anxiety. The findings of this study can assist in developing a standard protocol for the management of chronic hepatitis C that will include psychological assessment and support.

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