Table 2.
Qualitative and quantitative variables across expression of depressive symptoms
| Expression of depressive symptoms | p value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | ||
| Age | 35.10 (29–40) | 36.26 (32–41) | 0.310 |
| Gender | 0.247 | ||
| Male | 22 (15.2%) | 28 (20.4%) | |
| Female | 123 (84.8%) | 109 (79.6%) | |
| Education | 0.004 | ||
| Middle school degree | 8 (5.5%) | 2 (1.5%) | |
| High school diploma | 43 (29.7%) | 21 (15.3%) | |
| Associate/bachelor degree | 69 (47.6%) | 80 (58.4%) | |
| Graduate degree | 25 (17.2%) | 34 (24.8%) | |
| Occupational status | 0.015 | ||
| Employed | 46 (31.7%) | 62 (45.9%) | |
| Unemployed | 99 (68.3%) | 73 (54.1%) | |
| Marital status | 0.022 | ||
| Single | 44 (30.3%) | 49 (35.8%) | |
| Married | 76 (52.4%) | 79 (57.7%) | |
| Divorced | 25 (17.2%) | 9 (6.6%) | |
| MS type | 0.547 | ||
| CIS | 9 (6.2%) | 10 (7.3%) | |
| RRMS | 97 (66.9%) | 98 (71.5%) | |
| PPMS | 11 (7.6%) | 11 (8.0%) | |
| SPMS | 28 (19.3%) | 18 (13.1%) | |
| Disease duration | 7.31 (3.5–10) | 7.41 (3–10) | 0.930 |
| Treatment duration | 6.04 (3–7.5) | 6.4 (3–9) | 0.513 |
| Hospital admission due to MS attacks | 2.64 (1–3) | 1.79 (0–2) | 0.048 |
| EDSS | 2.97 (1.5–4.5) | 2.78 (1.5–4) | 0.335 |
| Drug type | 0.080 | ||
| Immunomodulatory | 75 (51.7%) | 85 (62.0%) | |
| Immunosuppressive | 70 (48.3%) | 52 (38.0%) | |
| Past psychiatric history | 0.064 | ||
| Yes | 35 (24.1%) | 21 (15.3%) | |
| No | 110 (75.9%) | 116 (84.7%) | |
| COVID-19 infection | 0.573 | ||
| Yes | 12 (8.3%) | 14 (10.2%) | |
| No | 133 (91.7%) | 123 (89.8%) | |
| Fear of COVID-19 | 18.93 (14–24) | 15.88 (11.5–19) | ≤ 0.0001 |
CIS, clinically isolated syndrome; RRMS, relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis; PPMS, primary progressive multiple sclerosis; SPMS, secondary progressive multiple sclerosis; EDSS, expanded disability status scale; BDI, Beck depression inventory; BAI, Beck anxiety inventory.