Volume 24, Issue 104, July - August, 2020

Psychological distress impact and associated factors among Jordanian women diagnosed with breast cancer

Murad Abdul Raheem Younis^1,2,3♦, Bachok Norsa’adah^4♦, Azizah Othman⁵, Yazan Shaqarin⁶, Hani Alqudah⁷, Shaimaa Shamoun⁸

¹PhD-Candidate Student in Public Health & Epidemiology, Unit of Biostatistics & Research Methodology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia,16150, Kota Bharu, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
²Lecturer in Public Health, Assistant Medical Science Department, Community College, Tabuk University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
³Clinical Nurse Specialist, Infection Control Department, AL Bashir Hospital, Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan
⁴Professor in Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Unit of Biostatistics & Research Methodology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia,16150, Kota Bharu, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
⁵Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia,16150, Kota Bharu, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
⁶Medical Oncologist Doctor, Radiation Oncology Department, AL Bashir Hospital, Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan
⁷Assistant Professor, Nursing Director Department, AL Bashir Hospital, Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan
⁸Oncology Nurse Specialist, Radiation Oncology Department, AL Bashir Hospital, Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan

^♦Corresponding author
Murad Younis; Norsa’adah Bachok; Unit of Biostatistics & Research Methodology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kota Bharu, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia. Email: Murady82@yahoo.com (Murad Younis); Email: Norsaadah@usm.my (Norsa’adah Bachok)

ABSTRACT

Background: Patients with breast cancer often experience an extremely high psychological distress. Psychological distress includes both depression and anxiety as a specific framework. Existing study in these psychological symptoms (either anxiety or depression) were more strongly associated with the level of pain that is unavailable in breast cancer patients. This research aims to compare the levels of depression and anxiety among patients with different levels of psychological distress. The association between changes in distress at baseline and time of admissions with depression and anxiety was examined. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study. The study included two hundred female people who are suffering from breast cancer. They were tested using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at the time of diagnosis -Baseline and during admission. The data were collected on age, ethnicity, types of treatment and cancer staging. Results: There is no significant difference of mean anxiety between intervention and control group at baseline (P = 0.361) and admission time (P = 0.385) but various age groups showed a statistically significant difference on their corresponding mean perceived anxiety (P=0.028) with having previous medical insurance (P = 0.050). Also there is no significant difference of mean depression in baseline and admission time. Aged women experience less depression, although there is no significant difference. Women without previous medical insurance have higher level of depression compare with others (P = 0.003). Conclusion: Anxiety and depression are a type of severe psychiatric condition that has attributed to the feelings of apprehension in breast cancer. Finding from this study would support screening for anxiety and depression, early diagnosis, and counselling to improve the psychological well-being of patients with breast cancer. Further research would be required to assess the therapeutic interventions' efficacy.

Keywords: Breast Cancer, Anxiety, Depression, HAD score

Medical Science, 2020, 24(104), 2610-2619

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