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Factors associated with anxiety and depression in cancer patients prior to initiating adjuvant therapy

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Abstract

Objective

Anxiety and depression affect cancer patients’ quality of life. Our objectives were to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression and analyze the association between positive psychological factors, sociodemographic factors, and clinical factors in oncological patients initiating adjuvant treatment.

Methods

A prospective, multicenter cohort of 600 consecutive patients completed the Brief Symptom Inventory, Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer, Life Orientation Scale-Revised, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support questionnaires.

Results

Prevalence of anxiety and depression was 49.8 and 36.6%, respectively. Women and younger individuals were more anxious and depressed than men and seniors. Employed participants suffered more anxiety than retirees, and singles exhibited more depression than married or partnered subjects. Logistic regression analysis showed that hope, optimism, social support, being male, and older were significantly associated with a lower risk of anxiety and depression (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The high prevalence of anxiety and depression among Spaniards with cancer starting adjuvant chemotherapy suggests that more attention should be paid to mental health in these individuals. These findings are important for cancer patients because they can benefit from interventions that increase positive psychological factors such as hope, optimism, and social support to reduce anxiety and depression.

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Funding

The study was supported by the FSEOM-Onvida for Projects on Long Survivors and Quality of Life. SEOM (Spanish Society of Medical Oncology) 2015.

Author information

Author notes

  1. P. Jimenez-Fonseca and C. Calderón contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Av. Roma, s/n 33011, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain

    P. Jimenez-Fonseca

  2. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    C. Calderón

  3. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain

    R. Hernández

  4. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain

    T. Ramón y Cajal

  5. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Mallorca, Spain

    M. Mut

  6. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Insular de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain

    A. Ramchandani

  7. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario La Princesa, Madrid, Spain

    O. Donnay

  8. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Murcia, Spain

    A. Carmona-Bayonas

Authors
  1. P. Jimenez-Fonseca
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  2. C. Calderón
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  3. R. Hernández
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  4. T. Ramón y Cajal
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  5. M. Mut
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  6. A. Ramchandani
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  7. O. Donnay
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  8. A. Carmona-Bayonas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. Jimenez-Fonseca.

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Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. This is an academic study.

Ethical statement

The study has been performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the Declaration of Helsinki and its subsequent amendments. This study is an observational trial without intervention.

Informed consent

Signed informed consent was obtained from all patients.

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Jimenez-Fonseca, P., Calderón, C., Hernández, R. et al. Factors associated with anxiety and depression in cancer patients prior to initiating adjuvant therapy. Clin Transl Oncol 20, 1408–1415 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-018-1873-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-018-1873-9

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