Introduction: Leprosy affects millions of people, impairing both physical and mental health and giving rise to complications such as depressive symptoms that can impact the quality of life.
Objective: To estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms in an association of patients and former patients with Hansen's disease in a city in the Colombian Caribbean.
Materials and methods: A descriptive study with non-probabilistic sampling was conducted among members of an association of patients and former patients with Hansen's disease in a city in the Colombian Caribbean. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory, and the results were compared with sociodemographic and clinical variables through bivariate analysis.
Results: Fifty-one individuals participated, with an average age of 52 years (IQ 35.7-68.5), and a male predominance (57%). Thirty-nine percent of the population had completed high school, 25% were undergoing treatment at the time of the survey, and 33% had some degree of disability. Twenty-seven percent, 16%, and 2% of the population exhibited mild, moderate, and severe depression, respectively. The most frequently reported depressive symptom was fatigue (13%), followed by changes in appetite (84.2%), crying (81.6%), and sadness (79%). No statistically significant relationship was found between the presence of depressive symptoms and sociodemographic characteristics, treatment, or disability.
Conclusions: It is evident that 35% of respondents scored in the indicative range of depression on the Beck Depression Inventory. Specialized mental health management is recommended to be included in the comprehensive care of patients and former patients with Hansen's disease.