Depression and anxiety levels in mothers of children with epistaxis: A controlled study

Introduction: Pediatric epistaxis is very common. A child's illness can lead to depression and anxiety in the parents. The association between pediatric epistaxis and mothers’ anxiety has not been well documented. Objective: The present study is aimed at measuring depression and anxiety levels in mothers of children with mild, recurrent epistaxis. Methods: This prospective, clinical, questionnaire-based study examined 43 mothers of children with recurrent epistaxis and 42 mothers of healthy children. The depression and anxiety levels of the mothers in both the groups were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the state-trait anxiety inventory–state (STAI-S), and the state-trait anxiety inventory–trait (STAI-T). Results: No statistically-significant differences were found between the two groups of mothers in terms of educational level, employment, age, or economic status. The mean STAI-S scores were higher in the mothers of children with epistaxis (p =.010). However, no statistically-significant differences were found between the two groups for the BDI and STAI-T scores. Conclusions: The results of this comparative study suggest that mild, recurrent epistaxis in children can significantly increase their mothers’ state anxiety levels, but epistaxis has no significant effect on either depression or trait anxiety.