ASSESSMENT OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG GERIATRIC PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Muthuraja C.*, Dr. M. Senthil, Dr. V. Sekar

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a type of respiratory infection which the lungs. COPD Patients have a breathing difficulties like shortness of breath, coughing, and decreased capacity for physical activity. Mostly this disease was affect the Geriatric patients and causes severe symptoms. The primary symptoms of COPD consist of chronic dyspepsia, coughing, mucus production, and intolerance to exercise. These symptoms occur due to a mix of small airway disease, airway inflammation, excessive mucus production, and parenchymal damage like emphysema. This research was completely done by cross sectional study design based upon the dependent variable and independent variable. The symptoms were assessed by the PHQ-9 scale. Various kinds of Tests like Chi-Square test, t-test and ANOVA test were studied. All the data was analysed by using SPSS Software. Our findings indicate that depressive symptom severity in geriatric COPD patients is more closely linked with current diseases like burden, dyspnea, and oxygen dependence than with recent exacerbation or hospitalization counts alone. This strengthens the case for integrating routine depression screening into COPD assessment, especially in elderly patients.