Krebswissenschaft und -therapie

Depression, Anxiety and Quality of Life among Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Nouf Almutairi, Maryam Alharbi, Baraa M. Hammoudi and Othman Almutairi

Introduction: Cancer patients have higher incidence of anxiety and depression which have a negative impact on the quality of their life independently and dependently from cancer. This Study was conducted to assess the relationship of anxiety, depression and quality of life among cancer patients in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted on cancer patients who underwent routine Outpatient health-care services in a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Results: In this study 393 cancer patients were included. Majority of them were females, married, aged between 40-60 years old. In 31% of patients had breast cancer and the 2nd most prevalent cancer was lymphoma (7.3%). Majority of patients had neither depression nor anxiety with the following rates respectively [71.1%, 86.1%]. The assessed quality of life components showed the following ; (51%) had a low quality of life, (56.7%) had a low independent lifestyle, (60.5%) low psychological coping, (52%) had high pain occurrence, (64.8%) had a good relationship, (86.1%) good senses and (57%) had good mental health. Anxiety and depression [AD] score was found to be statistically significant in 32.4% of patients in the following components ; Age less than 30 years old, having lymphoma or ovarian cancer, being divorced, having a bachelor degree or no education at all and the need of a caregiver.

Conclusion: The prevalence of low QOL (Quality of Life) is high among Saudi Cancer patient and the coexistence of anxiety occurred only in one third of all patients. Anxiety and depression appear to be not contributing to the low quality of life in cancer patients except in certain subgroups in which psychological interventions shall improve the quality of their lives.