To study the prevalence of anxiety and depression in a general hospital and to determine the ability of non-psychiatric residents to recognize the patients with clinically significant depression or anxiety.

This study was performed on a cohort admitted to Dr. Shariati Hospital in Tehran. Within 72 hours of admission, the patients were screened using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Simultaneously, the residents who provided care for the patients were asked whether they believed the patients had significant levels of depression or anxiety. They were also asked to rate the degree of depression and anxiety of their patients in a 5 point Likert scale. Prescription of antidepressants and benzodiazepines during hospitalization was recorded by chart review. Assessments were completed for 401 patients.

According to HADS score, 136(34.25%) patients had probable depressive disorders(HADS-D score>7) and 157(39.75%) had probable anxiety disorders(HADS-A score>7). The residents only asked 26(6.4%) and 32(8.2%) patients about depression and anxiety respectively. Among the patients, only 10.2% with probable depressive disorders and10.8% with probable anxiety disorders were identified. No significant correlation was observed between HADS scores and the residents’ assessment of severity of depression and anxiety. Only 16.4% of the patients with probable depressive or anxiety disorders were given medication.

This study confirms the results of previous researches that had shown high levels of depressive and anxiety disorders among patients admitted to a general hospital. It also indicates that non-psychiatrist physicians overlook a marked proportion of depression and anxiety diagnoses identified by standardized instruments.