Impact of Demographic Factors on the Treatment Response of Antidepressant Therapy: A Descriptive Cohort Study from Pakistan

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Published Feb 1, 2025
https://doi.org/10.62438/tunismed.v103i2.5280
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Vol. 103 No. 2 (2025): Tunis Med Feb 2025

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Afifa Siddique
Department of Pharmacology, Islamic International Medical College (IIMC), Riphah International University, Rawalpindi. Pakistan
Uzma Naeem
Department of Pharmacology, Islamic International Medical College (IIMC), Riphah International University, Rawalpindi. Pakistan
Muhammad Masood Khokhar
Department of Psychiatry, Pakistan Railway Hospital (PRH), Riphah International University, Rawalpindi. Pakistan
Akbar Waheed Syed
Department of Pharmacology, Islamic International Medical College (IIMC), Riphah International University, Rawalpindi. Pakistan
Jawaria Iftikhar
Department of Pharmacology, Islamic International Medical College (IIMC), Riphah International University, Rawalpindi. Pakistan
Ammarah Amjad
Department of Pharmacology, HBS Medical and Dental College, Islamabad, Pakistan

Abstract

Introduction: The study is conducted in Pakistan to evaluate the impact of socio-demographic factors that might influence the treatment response to antidepressants in depressive disorder. Moreover, this study brings data from a South Asian developing country, to compete the existing literature gap, where the response to antidepressant treatment with respect to demographic factors is mostly from the western countries.


Aim: A prospective, open-label, descriptive cohort study is designed to signify the association of demographic factors on the treatment response of antidepressants.


Methods: The patients presented to outpatient department (OPD) of Psychiatry clinic at Pakistan Railway Hospital, Rawalpindi from October 05, 2022 to July 31, 2023 were included in the study. All the patients were diagnosed by a Consultant Psychiatrist, according to ICD-11 and were prescribed an antidepressant therapy. The demographic factors were divided into sub-categories i.e. age, gender, marital status, income status, geographical location, education, and comorbid conditions. The change in depressive scores were measured by Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) on day 0, and 28. The data was analyzed using SPSS and results are reported in the subsequent section.


Results: Out of 88 patients, depression was found most widespread among females, married individuals, illiterate, above 41 years of age with comorbid conditions. The response to treatment was better in males (49.84%), single individuals (49.24%), educated (43.70%), and senior citizens (46.19%) in terms of percentage improvement.


Conclusions: It was concluded that the response to treatment was different among different subcategories in terms of percentage improvement...(abstract truncated at 25 words).

Keywords:

Antidepressants, depressive disorder, demographic factors, Patient Health Questionnaire-9

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