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Psychological characteristics and subjective symptoms as determinants of psychological distress in patients prior to breast cancer diagnosis

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Abstract

Goals of work

The objective of this study was to determine how psychological characteristics, subjective symptoms, a family history of breast cancer, and age impact psychological distress in outpatients at the first hospital visit prior to breast cancer diagnosis.

Materials and methods

Participants were prediagnosed women with complaints of breast symptoms who either came to our hospital directly, or with a referral from another clinic. Patients were asked to complete questionnaires to determine the following: trait anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), negative emotional suppression (Courtauld Emotional Control Scale), life stress events (Life Experiences Survey), and psychological distress (Profile of Mood States). We examined subjective symptoms (lumps, pain, abnormal nipple discharge, or deformed nipple) and family history of breast cancer based on answers to the interview sheet filled out by patients on their first visit. We analyzed a total of 154 patients who completed the questionnaires out of 237 eligible patients.

Main results

A significant model was obtained by multiple regression analysis (adjusted R 2 = 0.574, p < 0.01) in which the standard partial regression coefficients for trait anxiety, suppression of anxiety, negative life change events, positive life change events, and subjective symptoms were statistically significant (β = 0.623, 0.133, 0.155, 0.108, and 0.124, respectively; p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Psychological distress prior to diagnosis was higher in patients who had high trait anxiety, suppression of anxiety, many life stress events, and subjective symptoms. In particular, trait anxiety had a large impact on psychological distress, underscoring the need for and importance of adequate psychological care.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the contributions of all study participants. This work was supported by a grant-in-aid of the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellows (No. 19-8686), as well as a grant-in-aid for Scientific Research (C) (No. 18530543) from JSPS.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no commercial associations or conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Psychology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 228-8555, Japan

    Noriko Ando, Yumi Iwamitsu, Shigemi Okazaki & Mei Wada

  2. Department of Surgery, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 228-8555, Japan

    Masaru Kuranami & Masahiko Watanabe

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 228-8555, Japan

    Kenji Yamamoto, Keiko Todoroki & Hitoshi Miyaoka

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  1. Noriko Ando
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Correspondence to Noriko Ando.

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Ando, N., Iwamitsu, Y., Kuranami, M. et al. Psychological characteristics and subjective symptoms as determinants of psychological distress in patients prior to breast cancer diagnosis. Support Care Cancer 17, 1361–1370 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-009-0593-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-009-0593-7

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