Prevalence and Factors Associated With Anxiety and Depression in Individuals With Chronic Atrial Fibrillation: A Cross-Sectional Study in Brazil.

BACKGROUND

Chronic atrial fibrillation (CAF) is the most frequent sustained cardiac arrhythmia, and it is associated with a high burden of symptoms that impair self-care behaviors, treatment adherence, and quality of life.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, our aim was to estimate the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in individuals with CAF and identify associated factors.

METHODS

A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at the cardiology outpatient clinic of a university hospital in João Pessoa (Paraíba, Brazil). Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test, prevalence ratio with a 95% confidence interval, and Poisson regression with robust variance.

RESULTS

The study included 102 individuals with CAF; 60.8% reported anxiety symptoms and 38.2% reported depressive symptoms. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms was significantly lower in men (39.0%) than in women, and 27.0% lower among individuals with 8 years of education or less than in those with 9 years or more. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 59.0% lower in men than in women, and 43.0% lower in individuals with up to 3 comorbidities than in those with 4 or more comorbidities.

CONCLUSIONS

Among individuals with CAF, factors associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms were identified, including sex, educational level, and the number of comorbidities. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating systematic mental health assessment and integrative care strategies into the nursing management of individuals with CAF.