Objective: To observe the prevalence of recognised and unrecognised depression among in-patients (Medical and Surgical Wards of chaudhry Rahmat Memorial Trust and Saira Memorial hospital Lahore.) Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2016 to Sep. 2016 at two tertiary care hospitals in Lahore, and comprised patients admitted in the Medicine and Surgical departments at the time. Patients with known history of depression or on anti-depressants or on anti-psychotics, or with suicidal attempt were excluded. The prevalence of unrecognised depression was then perceived using Patient Health Qurstionnaire-9. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20. Results: Of the 180 patients, 32(17.6%) either had history of depression or were on anti-depressants. The study sample, as such, comprised 148, and of them 99(73%) were from the Medicine and 49(27%) patients from Surgery department. Prevalence of recognised depression was 17.6%; 10% in Medical and 7.6% in Surgical patients. Unrecognised depression was 45.3% in Medical and 53.7% in Surgical patients Gender was not found to be significantly associated with depression in Medical (p= 0.367) and Surgical (p=0.606) patients. No depression was found in 14(32%) Medical patients and 31(68%) Surgical patients. Conclusion: More than one-third of in-patients had co-morbid depression diagnoses, mostly unrecognised by their clinicians.
