Abstract 562P
Background
There are few direct comparisons of anxiety and depression symptoms between cancer patients and the general population. This study aimed to identify the types of anxiety and depression symptoms in cancer patients and compare these findings with data from the general population in Indonesia.
Methods
This cross-sectional study utilized Indonesian Basic Health Research Survey data. This study included 713,783 individuals aged ≥ 15, capturing information on sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, cancer prevalence, and mental health status. The WHO Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) was applied to measure anxiety and depressive symptoms. Logistic regression was employed to identify associations adjusting for age, gender, and chronic diseases (hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and renal failure).
Results
It was found that the respondents' mean age was 40.5 years old, and 47.7% were male. Cancer prevalence in the population aged ≥ 15 was 0.3%. Anxiety symptoms (≥5) were reported by 15.8% of the cancer patients and 6.2% of the general population, and depression symptoms (≥7) were reported by 9.4% and 2.9%, respectively. The most prevalent symptoms reported by cancer patients were fatigue, lack of sleep, and feeling tired all the time. People with cancer had two times higher risk of having anxiety and depression symptoms than those without cancer (aOR=2.34, 95% CI: 2.06-2.67) and (aOR=2.72, 95% CI: 2.31-3,21), respectively. Risk factors for having anxiety or depression symptoms among individuals with cancer included being female, having a lower level of education, being unmarried, being unemployed, and smoking history.
Conclusions
This study indicates that cancer patients face a significantly higher probability of suffering a depressive or anxiety disorder compared to those without cancer, with a prevalence twice that of the general population. Our findings highlight the critical need to address emotional and mental health issues in cancer patients, using the identified risk factors to develop targeted interventions for their psychological well-being.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.