Evaluation of Various Mental Illnesses in Cancer Patients and Its Relationship with Cancer Awareness in Yazd Oncology Clinic

Introduction: Cancers are one of the most common causes of death in the world today. Having a life-threatening illness such as cancer is expected to cause significant psychological disturbances. Therefore, in order to properly manage and treat patients, it is necessary to be aware of the psychiatric complications in cancer patients. Given that the relationship between awareness of cancer and its psychological effects has not been studied in Iran, in this study we aimed to investigate the relationship between the presence of psychiatric illness and the knowledge of the disease in cancer patients.Materials and Methods: This study was an descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study. ۱۵۰ patients with different types of cancer were studied in two groups of ۷۵ people (self-aware cancer group and non-cancer self-awareness group). The data collection tool was a questionnaire that consisted of three parts: Part ۱: Demographic information of patients including: age, gender, level of education, marital status and type of cancer; Part II: SCL۹۰ Personality Questionnaire and Part ۳: Petersburg Sleep Disorder Questionnaire (PSQI). After collection, the data were entered into SPSS software version ۲۲ and data analysis was performed using Chi-Square - Fisher Exact - T-Test and Anova tests. In all cases, P-Value <۰.۰۵ was considered as a significant level.Result: The mean age of the patients was ۵۱.۴۲ ± ۱۵.۳۲ years. Out of ۱۵۰ patients, ۷۰ (۴۶.۷%) were male and ۸۰ (۵۳.۳%) were female. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean score of paranoid thoughts (P-Value = ۰.۰۲۰) and sleep quality score (P-Value = ۰.۰۲۸) in the two groups. No statistically significant difference was found between the frequency distribution of any of the personality dimensions and sleep quality between the two groups. There was a statistically significant difference between the frequency distribution of physical disorders and anxiety in women and personality disorders in both genders. Also, a statistically significant difference was found between the frequency distribution of physical disorders in the ages of ۷۱-۵۵ years (P-Value = ۰.۰۳۶) and aggression disorders in the ages of ۵۴-۱۷ years (P-Value = ۰.۰۰۰). Also, a statistically significant difference was found between the frequency distribution of all personality dimensions according to the type of cancer.Conclusion: According to the results of the study, it can be concluded that awareness of cancer increases the incidence of mental disorders (decreased sleep quality and increased paranoid thoughts) in cancer patients.

Keywords:

Cancer , Awareness , Psychiatry , Oncology.