The Link Between Chronic Pain and Symptoms of Depression

Research goal: To ascertain the link between chronic pain and symptoms of depression. Research tasks: 1.To assess depression symptoms of patients with chronic pain syndrome. 2. To assess the severity of subjects pain. 3. To determine subjects social demographic factors and their links with somatic diseases. Method: A survey was carried out to collect the social demographic data of the patients, the severity of depression was assessed based on Zung depression scale, the severity of the pain was asssessed based on Visual Analog Scales. Participants of the research: The survey was conducted among 50 LSMU KK patients who are undergoing treatment at the Anesthetic Clinic in the pain department (subdivision). Results: We identified that the frequency of depression is higher among subjects with chronic pain who have a higher number of diseases. In addition, we found that as the pain progresses, depression increases. In mild, moderate pain, 82.1% of patients have no signs of depression or depression is low, however in severe, very severe or unbearable pain, 90.9% of the subjects have moderate, severe or very severe depression. Using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, we identified a more likely monotonic link between pain severity and depression (rs=0,842). The statistical monotonic relationship is positive, i.e. the severe the pain is the severe the depression more likely will be. Using a regression analysis model, we have discovered a higher chance ratio for depression to develop: when one pain point rises, there is a threefold chance for depression to develop. Conclusions:1. In most of the subjects moderate to severe depression was identified. 2. More than one third of the subjects felt mild pain, the second most frequent pain was moderate or severe. 3. Older age, lower education, and physical work pose a higher risk of somatic diseases