ASSESSMENT OF DISEASE ORIENTED DEPRESSION IN BREAST CANCER PATIENT

Abstract

Depression is a common symptom in cancer patients, which is difficult to be detected and consequently to be treated. It deteriorates over the course of cancer treatment, persists long after the end of therapy and influences negatively the quality of life. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence rate and level anxiety and depression in breast cancer patient using HAD scale.

The study was conducted on 94 female patients suffering from various stages of breast cancer. Patients included who were in the age group between 18-65yrs, estimated survival time more than six months, ability to speak and patients were excluded if they were affected by known mental disorder and metastasis in brain. Demographic data was collected from each patient’s medical record e.g. cancer type, date of cancer diagnosis, extension of the diseases, sites of metastasis, estimated life time. Levels of anxiety and depression were self rated by HADS (hospital anxiety and depression scale)

Out of 94 patients twenty patients (21%) were reported as mild depression (mean score 8.93) and 23 (24%) patients as mild anxiety (mean score 9.42) likewise fivePatients were reported as (positive cases) chronic depression (mean score is 12.23) and six patients as chronic anxiety.(mean score is 12.23) The results of this present study clearly demonstrated that prevalence of anxiety and depression rates depended on the patients’ educational level, age, occupation, menopause and diagnosis period.

Our study found that the depression and anxiety were common in most of the patients affected with breast cancer is also there was no relation between the anxiety and depression and stages of diseases. We think that this study needs to be extended in the future to involve more patient is may be further be tested to evaluate the same sample again, after psychiatric intervention is carried out.