Prevalence and Determinants of Depression and Anxiety Among Hospitalized Patients with General Medical Conditions in Sudan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background The mental health of hospitalized patients with general medical conditions is increasingly recognized as a global concern, particularly in resource-limited settings such as Sudan. Depression and anxiety negatively affect recovery, quality of life, and overall prognosis (1, 2). Despite their clinical relevance, routine mental health screening is often neglected in general medical wards in low- and middle-income countries (1, 2). This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of depression and anxiety among adult medical inpatients in Sudan. Methods A cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted between April and July 2022 among 261 adult inpatients admitted to Khartoum Teaching Hospital and Omdurman Teaching Hospital. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the Arabic version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (3, 6, 7). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with probable depression and probable anxiety. Results The prevalence of depression (HADS-D ≥ 8) was 44.8% (95% CI 38.8–50.8%) and anxiety (HADS-A ≥ 8) was 23.0% (95% CI 17.9–28.1%). In multivariable analysis, depression was independently associated with past psychiatric history (aOR 2.05, 95% CI 1.18–3.56; p = 0.011), poor family care (aOR 3.41, 95% CI 1.62–7.16; p = 0.001), and comorbid anxiety (aOR 4.15, 95% CI 2.34–7.36; p < 0.001). Anxiety was independently associated with family history of mental illness (aOR 2.43, 95% CI 1.15–5.13; p = 0.020), poor family care (aOR 3.98, 95% CI 1.79–8.82; p = 0.001), and comorbid depression (aOR 4.27, 95% CI 2.41–7.55; p < 0.001). Conclusions A substantial proportion of hospitalized patients with general medical conditions in Sudan are at risk for depression and anxiety. These findings provide evidence to support mental health integration within general hospital services in Sudan and similar low-resource settings.