ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the association between social cognition and previous suicide attempts and non-suicidal self-injurious behavior in adults with unipolar depressive disorders. Methods: Seventy-two patients undergoing outpatient treatment for unipolar depression were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Theory of mind was assessed using the Hinting Task and the Revised Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. Empathy was evaluated using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Lifetime suicide attempts and non-suicidal self-injurious behavior were assessed using the Columbia Suicide Risk Rating Scale. Participants with and without these suicide-related outcomes were compared in terms of social cognition. Results: Patients with previous suicide attempts performed worse on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (p = 0.017). Patients with a history of non-suicidal self-injurious behavior were younger (p = 0.005), had a younger age at first depressive episode (p = 0.017), and scored higher on personal distress in the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (p = 0.027). Only personal distress remained independently associated with non-suicidal self-injurious behavior in multivariable analysis (p = 0.038). Conclusion: Among patients with depression, those with previous suicide attempts or non-suicidal self-injurious behavior showed worse social cognition. These results encourage future research on social cognition deficits as clinical markers of suicide-related behaviors and as targets for interventions.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) assessment tools have been broadly used in the medical context. These tools are used to measure the subjective impact of the disease on patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the variables associated with HRQOL in a Brazilian sample of patients followed up in a tertiary outpatient clinic for depression and anxiety disorders. Method: Cross-sectional study. Independent variables were those included in a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores. Dependent variables were those included in the short version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) and the scores for its subdomains (overall quality of life and general health, physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment). A multiple linear regression analysis was used to find the variables independently associated with each outcome. Results: Seventy-five adult patients were evaluated. After multiple linear regression analysis, the HADS scores were associated with all outcomes, except social relationships (p = 0.08). Female gender was associated with poor total scores, as well as psychological health and environment. Unemployment was associated with poor physical health. Conclusion: Identifying the factors associated with HRQOL and recognizing that depression and anxiety are major factors are essential to improve the care of patients.
Introdução: Instrumentos para avaliar qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde têm sido amplamente utilizados no contexto médico, visando mensurar o impacto da doença de uma perspectiva subjetiva e relevante ao paciente. O objetivo desse estudo foi identificar variáveis associadas à qualidade de vida em uma amostra de pacientes acompanhados em um ambulatório terciário para transtornos de ansiedade e depressão. Métodos: Estudo transversal. As variáveis independentes incluíram dados de um questionário sociodemográfico e pontuação na Escala Hospitalar de Ansiedade e Depressão (HADS). Variáveis dependentes: pontuação total na escala breve de qualidade de vida da Organização Mundial de Saúde (WHOQOL-Bref) e cada um de seus subdomínios (geral, físico, psicológico, social e ambiental). Regressão linear múltipla foi aplicada para identificar as variáveis preditoras associadas de forma independente a cada uma das variáveis dependentes. Resultados: Setenta e cinco pacientes adultos foram avaliados. Após análise de regressão linear múltipla, pontuação na HADS esteve associada com todos os desfechos analisados, exceto para o subdomínio social (p = 0,08). Sexo feminino esteve negativamente associado com a pontuação total da WHOQOL-Bref e com os subdomínios psicológico e ambiental. Desemprego esteve associado com o subdomínio físico. Conclusão: A identificação de fatores associados à qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde e o reconhecimento de que a depressão e a ansiedade são variáveis fundamentais são essenciais para uma melhor assistência aos pacientes.