Sapporo Medical Journal

Abstract : Background: Our aim was to determine the prevalence of depression and anxiety in cancer patients and to correlate depression and anxiety in the patients and their caregivers. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from 1st of March 2013 to 30th of May 2015. Cancer patients and their caregivers seen in the outpatient clinics and day care unit of King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, were included in the study. The data was collected by questionnaires using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) screening tools for depression and anxiety disorder, respectively. Consent was obtained from all participants. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Descriptive and comparative analyses were done using frequency, chi-square, and Cohen’s kappa. Results: The total study population was 294 participants (147 patients and 147 caregivers). Depression and anxiety were found in 72.2% and 66% of patients and 66% and 42.8% of caregivers, respectively. Agreement between patients and caregivers was statistically significant for many points of the questionnaires (P-value < 0.05). Conclusions: In conclusion, the prevalence of depression and anxiety were high in both cancer patients and their caregivers. More attention should be directed toward detecting psychological changes in these vulnerable individuals. Routine screening along with social support should be included in clinical pr