Prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms and their determinant factors among patients with cancer in southern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

• Published in: BMJ open Vol. 12; no. 1; p. e051317
• Main Authors: Ayalew, Mohammed, Deribe, Bedilu, Duko, Bereket, Geleta, Dereje, Bogale, Netsanet, Gemechu, Lalisa, Gebretsadik, Achamyelesh, Bedaso, Asres
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England British Medical Journal Publishing Group 21.01.2022; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Publishing Group
• Series: Original research
• Subjects: adult psychiatry; Anxiety; Anxiety - epidemiology; Anxiety disorders; Body mass index; Cancer therapies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data collection; depression & mood disorders; Depression - complications; Depression - epidemiology; Ethiopia - epidemiology; Hospitals; Humans; Malnutrition; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental Health; Mental health care; Neoplasms - complications; Neoplasms - epidemiology; Nutritional status; Oncology; Pain; Patients; Prevalence; Psychosis; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Sample size; Social support; suicide & self-harm; Suicides & suicide attempts; Ethiopia; adult psychiatry; anxiety disorders; suicide & self-harm; depression & mood disorders; oncology
• ISSN: 2044-6055; 2044-6055
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-051317

ObjectiveThe study was aimed to assess the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms and their determinant factors among patients with cancer attending follow-up at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital cancer treatment centre, Ethiopia.DesignInstitution-based cross-sectional study design was implemented.SettingPatients with cancer at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital cancer treatment centre from October 2019 to December 2019.ParticipantsRandomly selected 415 patients with cancer who had follow-up at cancer treatment centre.Main outcome measuresAnxiety and depression symptoms were assessed using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.ResultThe prevalence rates of depression and anxiety symptoms were found to be 244 (58.8%) and 249 (60.0%), respectively. Older age (>50 years) (AOR (adjusted OR)=2.24, 95% CI=1.14 to 4.40), being unemployed (AOR=1.96, 95% CI=1.08 to 3.56), advanced stage of cancer such as stage III (AOR=5.37, 95% CI=1.34 to 21.45) and stage IV (AOR=4.55, 95% CI=1.12 to 18.44), comorbid psychotic symptoms (AOR=1.67, 95% CI=1.07 to 2.61) and eating problem in the past 2 weeks (AOR=6.16, 95% CI=1.98 to 19.11) were independent factors significantly associated with depressive symptoms. In addition, cancer stage such as stage II (AOR=3.92, 95% CI=1.07 to 14.36) and stage IV (AOR=5.04, 95% CI=1.44 to 17.59) and comorbid psychotic symptoms (AOR=1.73, 95% CI=1.12 to 2.66) were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms.ConclusionDepression and anxiety symptoms among patients with cancer were considerably high. Age, occupation, cancer stage, comorbid psychotic symptoms and eating problem were determinant factors of depressive symptoms among patients with cancer. Moreover, cancer stage and comorbid psychosis were determinants of anxiety symptoms. Healthcare professionals working in the oncology unity need to conduct routine screening and treatment of depression and anxiety symptoms for patients with cancer.