Physical Health Among Adults with Depressive Symptoms in Qatar: Findings from Qatar Biobank Population-Based Study

Depression is a mood disorder that is highly prevalent and is characterized by cognitive, emotional, and physical symptoms. This study aimed to describe the physical health status of individuals with depressive symptoms in Qatar and examine the relationships between physical health indicators and depressive symptoms. A cross-sectional correlational design was used, and data were extracted from the Qatar Biobank. Depression was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The physical health measurements included heart rate, blood pressure, lung capacity, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, and a self-reported questionnaire. The sample included 687 participants with an average age of 35.39 ± 9.82 years old. The comorbidities reported by participants included diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia, and their prevalence ranged from 10 to 26.2%. The BMI data revealed that 38.6% of the participants were either overweight or obese. Approximately 29% of females and 22% of males had an abnormally high waist-to-hip ratio. The percentage of individuals who complained of recurrent chest pain, headache/migraine, or body pain ranged between 12.2 and 43.2%. The mean score of the PHQ-9 was 10.07 ± 4.05, and 43.1% of the sample reported having moderate to severe depression. Several factors were significantly related to depression scores: heart rate, waist-to-hip ratio, headache/migraine, chest pain, body pain, and recent weight change. Healthcare professionals should screen individuals for both depressive symptoms and physical symptoms. This may help in the earlier detection of mental illness and/or physical disease, and thus may ensure better recovery or prognosis and may prevent serious complications.