Understanding the Link between Depression and Pain Perception in Iranian Cancer Patients

Background: Studies suggest a link between pain and depression in cancer patients. Pain and depression interact each other and aggravate theconditions. The mechanism of the relation of pain and depression has not been clearly stated. Despite the high prevalence of cancer in Iran and theneed to investigate the complications associated with it, no studies have been conducted until now on the relationship between depression and pain in cancer patients Aim: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between depression and pain perception in cancer patients.Methods: In this cross-sectional study (from October to December 2015) 380 cancer patients were admitted to one of our hospitals associated with the Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences (Sari, Iran), and were entered to the study using accessible sampling. Data was collected bydemographic questionnaire, depression scale of Center for Epidemiological studies and McGill pain questionnaire. The statistical package for socialsciences, version 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was utilized for data analysis by descriptive and inferential statistic tests, including Spearman’scorrelation and Generalized Linear models. Results: Males (48.39±13±39; CI 95: 46.41-50.38) were older than females (45.33±18.44; CI 95: 42.79-47.87). There is a positive and significant correlation between pain perception and depression and there is a negative and significant correlation between depression and stages of cancer (p<0.05).Implications for practice: Depression, as a consequence of cancer, must be one of the important nursing diagnoses in healthcare centers. Given theprevalence of depression in these patients, holding psychotherapy sessions for early diagnosis of depression and, if necessary, therapy and use ofantidepressants, must be started. Moreover, considering the significant effect of depression in the perception of pain, it is expected that bycontrolling depression in these patients, the pain tolerance threshold can be significantly controlled

Keywords:

Depression , Cancer , Pain perception , Iran , Cross-sectional study Ethical approval code: IR.MAZUMS.REC.95.S.108