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. 2024 Dec 10;12(12):320.
doi: 10.3390/diseases12120320.

Gender-Specific Insights into Depression in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease: Findings from a Pilot Study Using a Self-Developed Questionnaire

Laura Ioana Bondar  1   2 , Brigitte Osser  1   3 , Caius Calin Miuța  3 , Denis Petran  3 , Alexandru Ioan Baltean  3 , Denis Bogdan Butari  2 , Mariana Adelina Mariș  4 , Ligia Elisaveta Piroș  4 , Robert Almășan  4 , Mihaela Gavrila-Ardelean  5 , Liviu Gavrila-Ardelean  6 , Mircea Ioachim Popescu  1
Affiliations

Gender-Specific Insights into Depression in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease: Findings from a Pilot Study Using a Self-Developed Questionnaire

Laura Ioana Bondar et al. Diseases. .

Abstract

Background/objectives: Ischemic heart disease (IHD) significantly affects mental health, with gender-specific differences being observed in psychological responses. This pilot study aimed to explore these differences in the demographic, clinical, psychological, psychiatric, and social profile of patients diagnosed with IHD.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used, recruiting 183 adult patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease and depression at the Psychiatry Department of Arad County Emergency Hospital, Romania, between May 2021 and May 2024. Data were collected using a self-developed tool, named the Depression Assessment in Ischemic Heart Disease Questionnaire (DA-IHDQ), alongside standardized assessments. Statistical analysis was performed using JASP statistical software (Version 0.19.1, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands), employing binomial and multinomial tests for categorical data, and Cronbach's alpha was used to assess internal consistency.

Results: This study found significant demographic differences, with female patients exhibiting higher levels of emotional distress and severe depression compared with the male subjects. Women reported greater social isolation and a stronger desire to seek for psychological or psychiatric support. Furthermore, a positive correlation between depression severity and physical symptoms was observed in both genders.

Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of recognizing gender-specific responses to IHD, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions in mental healthcare and cardiac rehabilitation. Future research should further explore these differences to enhance the understanding of the psychosocial/psychiatric aspects of IHD and improve patient outcomes.

Keywords: depression; healthcare interventions; ischemic heart disease; mental health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of subjects by gender and environment of origin.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Willingness of patients to seek emotional support for IHD.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Subject’s grade of depression.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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