Daisy Rure , Nisha Kaithwas , Harshul Patidar , Rashmi Yadav , 
    Iron Deficiency Anemia in Patients with Depression
and Somatoform Disorder,
    Research Journal of Medical Sciences,
    Volume 17,Issue 1,
    2023,
    Pages 16-21,
    ISSN 1815-9346,
    10.59218\makrjms.2022.16.21,
    (https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=10.59218\makrjms.2022.16.21)
    Abstract: <p style="text-align:justify">The number of persons with common mental disorders globally is going up, particularly in lower-income countries. The risk is increased by poverty, unemployment, life events, physical illness and problems caused by alcohol and drug use. Depression and somatoform disorders are common mental disorders (CMD). Many researchers have found association of iron deficiency anemia and various psychiatry disorders. This hospital based, cross sectional, observational study was conducted at the outpatient department of psychiatry, Nandkumar Singh Chouhan Government Medical College Khandwa, a tertiary care centre east Nimar region of Madhya Pradesh, India over a period of 6 months from June 2022 to November 2022. We selected sample of 60 patients diagnosed with depression and 60 patients diagnosed with somatoform disorder were &nbsp;studied &nbsp;for &nbsp;their &nbsp;socioeconomic &nbsp;profile and anemia. A total of 120 patients, 60 patients with depression and 60 patients with somatoform disorder were studied. Majority of the patients with somatoform disorder and depression both were of 31-45 age group followed by 46-60 years age group. Females, married participants, unemployed, rural background, from low socioeconomic status predominated. Among patients with somatic symptoms 48.33% had anemia and in the depression group 43.33% were anemic. We found statistically significant difference between anemia and severity of somatic symptoms. Both depression and somatoform disorders are common among females, middle and old adults, married, unemployed, rural background, from low socioeconomic status, with less education. In both the disorders majority are patients with mild to moderate symptoms, hence use of screening tools at community level will help identifying these individuals who actively do not seek psychiatric consultation. In reference to anemia, among patients with both these disorders almost half were anemic. It is imperative to keep this in mind while managing psychiatry patients especially in India, where iron deficiency and common mental disorders are highly prevalent.</p>

    Keywords: Depression; somatoform disorder; iron deficiency anemia; PHQ-9; PHQ-15