Status of Anxiety and Depression Among Chronic Dialysis Patients in Japan

Purpose: The ratio of people who have experienced depression in Japan in 3-7%, lower than the West’s 3-16%. However, we suspected that the level would be higher for cases of patients living with chronic diseases, so in 2011, we conducted a survey of the actual conditions of anxiety and depression, using the HADS yardstick, of 826 cancer survivors aged between 30 and 60. The results showed that 13.2% had anxiety scores of 9 or higher (judged to be a state of anxiety), 18.0% had depression scores of 9 of higher (judged to be a state of depression), and 29.8% had total scores of 13 or higher (there is a close relationship between anxiety scores and depression scores, and a total of 13 or higher strongly suggests anxiety or depression), which is a higher figure than the West. We conducted a new survey to compare the ratios of anxiety and depression in chronic dialysis patients.

Methods: A survey of the actual conditions was carried out, using a HADS yardstick, of chronic dialysis patients aged 60 or over in 2017. RESULTS: Responses were obtained from 345 people. The demographics of the responders was as follows: ages ranged from 60 to 86 (average: 69.9); the sex ratio was 60% male, 40% female; 17% were employed while 83% were not; 87% lived with their families, and 13% lived alone.

Results: The results showed 24 people with anxiety scores of 9 or higher (7.0%) and 63 with depression scores of 9 or higher (18.3%), and 93 with total scores of 13 or higher (27.0%). Compared to cancer survivors, chronic dialysis patients showed lower rates of anxiety and about the same ratio of depression.

Conclusion: These results suggest that compared to cancer survivors, chronic dialysis patients have less anxiety regarding facing their life and about the same amount of depression caused the stress of chronic illness. This suggests the necessity of care for chronic dialysis patients, and the importance of the role of the nurse.