The comparison of anxiety and depression levels in asthma and COPD patients

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are common chronic diseases and the cause of much morbidity and mortality worldwide. COPD has been estimated to occur in up to 25% of the population aged 40 years and older; besides asthma is affecting > 300 million people worldwide [1,2]. Psychiatric disorders also occur quite frequently in the general population. The most frequent psychiatric disorders are anxiety disorders (14%) and mood disorders (7.8%) [3] .Asthma and COPD significantly affect mental heatlh because they impact on activities, sleep and social life of both patients and their relatives. On the other hand, psychological chronic pulmonary diseases may lead to depression and anxiety due to high stress levels and general worries they cause in patients [4].