Depression and anxiety levels in woman under follow-up for breast cancer: Relationship to coping with cancer and quality of life
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Date
2010
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Abstract
Aim The relation of anxiety and depression levels with characteristics of coping with the disease and quality of life were evaluated in women under follow-up for breast cancer. Materials and Methods Patients who had presented to the breast cancer polyclinics for follow-up were evaluated. The Beck Depression and the State-Trait Anxiety inventories were used in the evaluation of depression and anxiety levels. In order to evaluate their power to cope with cancer, the patients were questioned for a social support network. EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires were applied for quality of life evaluations. Results There were 23 (19%) patients with depression; 3 (2.5%) with grade I anxiety, 94 (77%) grade II, and 23 (19%) grade III anxiety, respectively. Depression and anxiety levels were affected by the following parameters: being unaccompanied by spouse for hospital follow-ups (P < 0.0001); request to get help by a psychologist (P = 0.02); presence of a person to share their problems (P < 0.0001); and using an alternative treatment (P = 0.04). In the quality of life evaluations, difficulty in sleeping, emotional status, fatigue, and body appearance were related with both depression and anxiety (P < 0.05 for all), whereas physical function (P = 0.002), role performance (P = 0.005), cognitive condition (P < 0.0001), social position (P < 0.0001), pain (P < 0.0001), general health (P < 0.0001), treatment methods (P = 0.001), future anxiety (P < 0.0001), and arm symptoms (P = 0.001) were negatively affected in patients with depression. Conclusion High depression and anxiety levels in patients under follow-up for breast cancer influence the coping with cancer and quality of life adversely. © 2009 Humana Press Inc.
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Adaptation, Psychological , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Anxiety Disorders , Breast Neoplasms , Depressive Disorder , Disease-Free Survival , Family , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Middle Aged , Quality of Life , Questionnaires , Social Support , adult , aged , alternative medicine , anxiety , article , Beck Depression Inventory , breast cancer , cognition , controlled study , coping behavior , depression , emotion , fatigue , female , follow up , human , major clinical study , outpatient department , performance , priority journal , psychologist , quality of life , questionnaire , sleep , social support , State Trait Anxiety Inventory