Factors Associated with Depression in Cancer Patients during the COVID-۱۹ Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Shahid Beheshti Hospital

Abstract Aims: Quarantine during the COVID-۱۹ pandemic was an important factor in developing depression in cancer patients. Early diagnosing of depression in these patients is a health priority for the medical staff. For this reason, we intend to conduct a study to investigate depression in patients of the oncology department of Shahid Beheshti Hospital during the Corona pandemic in ۲۰۲۲. Methods: Participants were ۲۹۱ cancer patients admitted to Shahid Beheshti Hospital and Imam Khomeini oncology department. Inclusion criteria included patients' physical and mental ability to answer questions, literacy, at least ۶ months of illness, awareness of their diagnosis, and no history of adverse events in the last month. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and a depression questionnaire. All the analyses of this research were done using SPSS version ۲۴ software. Findings: About ۳۹% of patients suffered from moderate depression and ۳۰% from severe depression. A significant relationship was found between depression and education and marital status. Also, there is a significant linear relationship between depression and age, age of onset of illness, duration of illness, and duration of chemotherapy. According to the results, a statistically significant relationship was found between depression and education, marital status, and the duration of the disease (P<۰.۰۵). Conclusion: Most cancer patients suffer from moderate to severe depression. Since there is a relationship between depression, the duration of the disease, and the duration of chemotherapy, it is recommended to periodically check these patients for depression.

Keywords:

Depression , cancer , coronaviruses