RESUMEN
Objective: to study the effect of pre-treatment anxiety on interferon induced depression in hepatitis C patients undergoing interferon treatment
Methodology: interrupted time series design was used for this study to assess at pre, in 2 follow up visits [after 24th and 48th week] and after completion of the treatment. The depression and anxiety of two groups of women [showing high and low pre-treatment anxiety score on the IPAT anxiety scale [PTAS]] was measured by the Siddiqui Shah Depression Scale [SSDS] and the IPAT Anxiety Scale. Female patients [n=57] being diagnosed for Hepatitis C and prescribed for interferon therapy were selected from three main hospitals of Peshawar, through convenience sampling technique
Results: the age range of the sample was from 35 to 65 years [54.51+5.11 years]. Compared to 25% of the patients having low pre-treatment anxiety scores, 32% of the patients with higher pre-treatment anxiety score expe-rienced significant level of depression at week 24 and 48 during and after completion of the interferon treatment
Conclusion: pre-treatment anxiety has significant effect on the levels of depression, hepatitis C patients experience during and after completion of the treatment