Factors Affecting the Quality of Life of Depressed Patients at the Outpatient Departments of Community Hospitals in Chumphon

Abstract

Depression is a major health problem in Thailand. It is a chemical imbalance or disorder in the brain and mind that can manifest as physical and behavioral abnormalities. This cross-sectional analytical research aimed to assess the quality of life and examine the relationships between factors affecting quality of life in patients with depression at 10 community hospitals in Chumphon Province, Thailand. The sample consisted of 243 patients with depression who stratified by proportional sampling. The instrument used was a questionnaire consisting of four parts: personal factors, knowledge about depression, the HAM-D Depression Severity Assessment Scale (HAM-D), and a quality of life questionnaire. The content validity was examined by three experts. The reliability of the questionnaires was examined. The KR-20 reliability of the depression knowledge questionnaire was .84. The HAM-D depression inventory and the quality of life indicators questionnaire had Cronbach's alpha coefficients of .74 and .84, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's and Bicester's correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression analysis.

Results: the research found that most of the participants were female, with an average age of 45.98 years, the highest level of education was primary school, and they were married. Most of them were farmers and fishermen. A family history of mental illness was present in 11.52 percent of the participants, and 3.70 percent. Had a history of drug abuse Most participant had a history of depression treatment for less than 2 years and had a fairly good level of knowledge about depression. The HAM-D depression assessment found that most of the sample had a moderate level of depression. The quality of life assessment found that most of the depressed patients had a moderate level of quality of life. The factors affecting the quality of life of depressed patients included the level of depression, which had a statistically significant negative relationship with quality of life, and a moderate relationship (r = -.450). This predicted 23.10 percent of the participants’ perceived quality of life. Patients with depression should therefore receive comprehensive care in all aspects, including physical, mental, social relationships, and the environment, and should focus on the importance of symptom reduction as the main path to a better quality of life.