Evaluation of depression and anxiety in parents of children undergoing cardiac catheterization

OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to determine pre-procedure depression and anxiety levels among a group of parents whose children had congenital heart disease and were undergoing angiography.

METHODS
The study comprised parents of 73 congenital heart disease patients undergoing angiography. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used to evaluate the depression and anxiety scores.

RESULTS
Sixty-one patients (83.6%) had acyanotic congenital heart disease, and 25 patients (34.2%) were undergoing diagnostic angiography. BDI scores among the mothers determined that 8 (11%) had mild, 14 (19.2%) moderate, and 10 (13.7%) severe depression. Their BAI scores showed that 16 (21.9%) had mild, 8 (11%) moderate, and 13 (17.8%) severe anxiety. BDI scores for the fathers showed that 12 (16.4%) had mild, 10 (13.7%) moderate, and 8 (11%) severe depression. Their BAI scores showed that 12 (16.4%) had mild, 10 (13.7%) moderate, and 8 (11%) severe anxiety. A comparison of mothers of cyanotic patients and those of acyanotic patients in terms of depression and anxiety levels revealed a statistically significant difference (p=0.050 and 0.043, respectively).

CONCLUSION
Angiography was associated with increased levels of depression and anxiety in parents of children with congenital heart diseases. In comparison to parents of patients with acyanotic congenital heart disease, mothers of patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease had significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety.