Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the association of anxiety and depression with demographic characteristics, disease-related characteristics, and social participation in cancer outpatients. Furthermore, the extent that cancer outpatients received psychological support and its relationship with anxiety and depression for those receiving chemotherapy was identified.
Self-reported questionnaires were distributed to 90 cancer outpatients and responses obtained from 77 of these patients were analyzed. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale revealed that patients with partners had lower depression scores. Those with more severe side effect symptoms, those taking sick leave, and those who did not engage in social activities had higher anxiety and depression scores. Approximately 70~90 percent of patients received psychological support. Obtaining enough information was associated with lower anxiety and depression scores, expressing emotions was associated with lower depression scores, and receiving advice from medical staff was associated with higher anxiety scores. There was an interaction effect between the extent of side effect symptoms and psychological support on anxiety levels. [KT1]
Our findings suggest that a thorough understanding of these factors will assist nurses in maintaining the psychological well-being of cancer outpatients who receive chemotherapy.