1855P - Assessment of depression and anxiety among adult patients with solid tumours admitted in national institute of cancer research & hospital

Background

Cancer is one of the most common causes of mortality & morbidity globally, and the diagnosis of cancer is a stressful event causing significant psychological distresses, most commonly depression and anxiety, directly interfering with disease outcome and quality of life.

Methods

This cross-sectional type of descriptive study was conducted at the National Institute of Cancer Research & Hospital (NICRH), Dhaka for a period of 12 months. Sample size was 405 using purposive sampling. Data were collected from the patients through face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire and Bangla version of the DASS-21 scale.

Results

In this study, the mean age of the respondents was 47.4 ± 16.5 years, predominantly male. Gastrointestinal cancers (27.4%) were most prevalent, followed by lung cancer (19.5%). The prevalence of depressive and anxious symptomatology was 38.02% and 42.96%, respectively. More than half (53.3%) of the patients were suffering from either of depression and/or anxiety. Table: 1855P

In inpatient setting, depressive disorders were significantly higher in females than males (p<0.01) and among the lung cancer patients; in contrast, gastrointestinal cancer and the presence of co-morbidities predisposed more to anxiety (p<0.05). Although mode of treatment and severity of disease showed no significant relationship with the prevalence of depression or anxiety, ECOG performance status was found to have significant impact on both of the disorders. On analysis of the socio-demographic variables, illiterate and low-income people were seen to suffer more with a severe and extremely severe level of depression, on the other hand, homemakers and lower socio-economic class had higher levels of anxiety.

Conclusions

The study findings showed a higher prevalence of depression and anxiety in the inpatient setting; therefore, counseling, screening, and timely evaluation of mental health should be a part of the standard protocol of oncology care.

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.