Depression’s Associated Factors in Cancer Patients in Post-COVID-۱۹ Pandemic

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. This study aimed to investigate depression in oncology department patients at the end of the COVID-۱۹ pandemic. Instrument & Methods: In the present cross-sectional study, the research population included all patients admitted to the oncology department of Shahid Beheshti Hospital and Imam Khomeini Clinic, selected by the convenience sampling method in ۲۰۲۲. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and a depression questionnaire. All the analyses of this research were done using SPSS ۲۵ software. Findings: The Mean depression score was ۲۳.۸۴±۹.۲۴. Based on the cutoff points of ۱۳ (mild), ۱۹ (moderate), and ۲۸ (severe) for a total score of depression, ۴۸ patients (۱۶.۴۹%) suffered from mild depression (۹۵%CI: ۱۲.۲۲-۲۰.۷۵), ۱۱۴ patients (۳۹.۱۷%) suffered from moderate depression (۹۵%CI: ۳۳.۵۶-۴۴.۷۷), and ۸۹ (۳۰.۸۹%) suffered from severe depression (۹۵%CI: ۲۵.۲۹-۳۵.۸۸). The Pearson correlation coefficient also showed significant positive linear correlations between depression and age (r=۰.۲۱; p<۰.۰۰۱), age at onset of disease (r=۰.۲۰; p=۰.۰۰۱), length of disease (r=۰.۲۴; p<۰.۰۰۱) and length of chemotherapy (r=۰.۱۴; p=۰.۰۱۶). 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 check these patients for depression periodically.

Keywords:

Depression , cancer , coronaviruses