scholarly journals Identification of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Patients With Cancer: Comparison Between Short and Long Web-Based Questionnaires

10.2196/11387 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. e11387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Mattsson ◽  
Erik Martin Gustaf Olsson ◽  
Maria Carlsson ◽  
Birgitta Beda Kristina Johansson
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Mattsson ◽  
Erik Martin Gustaf Olsson ◽  
Maria Carlsson ◽  
Birgitta Beda Kristina Johansson

BACKGROUND Physicians and nurses in cancer care easily fail to detect symptoms of psychological distress because of barriers such as lack of time, training on screening methods, and knowledge about how to diagnose anxiety and depression. National guidelines in several countries recommend routine screening for emotional distress in patients with cancer, but in many clinics, this is not implemented. By inventing screening methods that are time-efficient, such as digitalized and automatized screenings with short instruments, we can alleviate the burden on patients and staff. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare Web-based versions of the ultrashort electronic Visual Analogue Scale (eVAS) anxiety and eVAS depression and the short Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) with Web-based versions of the longer Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale-Self-report (MADRS-S) and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory- State (STAI-S) with regard to their ability to identify symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with cancer. METHODS Data were obtained from a consecutive sample of patients with newly diagnosed (<6 months) breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer or with recurrence of colorectal cancer (N=558). The patients were recruited at 4 hospitals in Sweden between April 2013 and September 2015, as part of an intervention study administered via the internet. All questionnaires were completed on the Web at the baseline assessment in the intervention study. RESULTS The ultrashort and short Web-based-delivered eVAS anxiety, eVAS depression and HADS were found to have an excellent ability to discriminate between persons with and without clinical levels of symptoms of anxiety and depression compared with recommended cutoffs of the longer instruments MADRS-S and STAI-S (area under the curve: 0.88-0.94). Cutoffs of >6 on HADS anxiety and >7 hundredths (hs) on eVAS anxiety identified patients with anxiety symptoms with high accuracy. For HADS depression, at a cutoff of >5 and eVAS depression at a cutoff of >7 hs, the accuracy was very high likewise. CONCLUSIONS The use of the short and ultrashort tools, eVAS and HADS, may be a suitable initial method of Web-based screening in busy clinical settings. However, there are still a proportion of patients who lack access to the internet or the ability to use it. There is a need to find solutions for this group to find all the patients with psychological distress.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Aqeel ◽  
Kanwar Hamza Shuja ◽  
Jaffar Abbas ◽  
Tasnim Rehna ◽  
Arash Ziapour

Abstract Background: Since the emergence of a coronavirus disease (2019-nCoV) in December 2019, the whole world is in a state of chaos. Isolation strategy with quarantine is a useful model in controlling transmission and rapid spread. As a result, people remained at homes and disrupted their outside daily activities. It led to the closure of educational institutes, which is a source of many students to cope with numerous personal and familial issues. This study focuses on exploring the relationships and potential mediational pathways between mental health problems, illness perception, anxiety, and depression disorders.Method: The study incorporated snowball sampling techniques through a cross-sectional, web-based survey and recruited 500 students from different public and private universities from twin cities, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad from March 23 to April 15, 2020, during the coronavirus outbreak lockdown. The study used four instruments, Beck Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire, and The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale for assessing depression, anxiety, illness perception, and mental health disorders.Results: The findings indicated normal (43.2%) mild (20.5%), moderate (13.6%), and severe (22.7%) level of anxiety prevalence in students. Results specified a normal (65.9%), mild (9.10%), moderate (9.12%), and severe (15.90%) depression prevalence, and findings stipulated that anxiety disorder prevalence was higher than the depression disorder. The correlational results specified a negative and significant relationship between mental health, illness perception, anxiety, and depression symptoms. The multiple regression analysis stated that anxiety and depression disorders mediated the relationship between mental health and present illness perception. The perception of illness exhibited a relation to depression and anxiety disorders.Conclusion: The study proposed a model to address mental health problems during the lockdown. The (2019-nCoV) illness perception developed mental disorders, including anxiety and depression, which has declined individuals' mental health. There is an urgent need for ongoing clinical examination and management to address psychological disorders, and findings suggest assessing mental health to combatting the pandemic worldwide. Findings recommend developing strategies to promote mental healthcare facilities during COVID-19 wide-ranging disasters. These results highlight the impending importance of devising strategies to treat mental health problems.


2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 780-788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinne Urech ◽  
Astrid Grossert ◽  
Judith Alder ◽  
Sandra Scherer ◽  
Barbara Handschin ◽  
...  

Purpose Being diagnosed with cancer causes major psychological distress; however, a majority of patients lack psychological support during this critical period. Internet interventions help patients overcome many barriers to seeking face-to-face support and may thus close this gap. We assessed feasibility and efficacy of Web-based stress management (STREAM [Stress-Aktiv-Mindern]) for newly diagnosed patients with cancer. Patients and Methods In a randomized controlled trial, patients with cancer who had started first-line treatment within the previous 12 weeks were randomly assigned to a therapist-guided Web-based intervention or a wait-list (control), stratified according to distress level (≥ 5 v < 5 on scale of 0 to 10). Primary efficacy end point was quality of life after the intervention (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–Fatigue). Secondary end points included distress (Distress Thermometer) and anxiety or depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). Treatment effect was assessed with analyses of covariance, adjusted for baseline distress. Results A total of 222 of 229 screened patients applied online for participation. Between September 2014 and November 2016, 129 newly diagnosed patients with cancer, including 92 women treated for breast cancer, were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 65) or control (n = 64) group. Adherence was good, with 80.0% of patients using ≥ six of eight modules. Psychologists spent 13.3 minutes per week (interquartile range, 9.5-17.9 minutes per week) per patient for online guidance. After the intervention, quality of life was significantly higher (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–Fatigue: mean, 8.59 points; 95% CI, 2.45 to 14.73 points; P = .007) and distress significantly lower (Distress Thermometer: mean, −0.85; 95% CI, −1.60 to −0.10; P = .03) in the intervention group as compared with the control. Changes in anxiety or depression were not significant in the intention-to-treat population (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale: mean, −1.28; 95% CI, −3.02 to 0.45; P = .15). Quality of life increased in the control group with the delayed intervention. Conclusion The Web-based stress management program STREAM is feasible and effective in improving quality of life.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Aqeel ◽  
Jaffar Abbas ◽  
Kanwar Hamza Shuja ◽  
Tasnim Rehna ◽  
Arash Ziapour ◽  
...  

Purpose Since the emergence of a coronavirus disease (2019-nCoV) in December 2019, the whole world is in a state of chaos. Isolation strategy with quarantine is a useful model in controlling transmission and rapid spread. As a result, people remained at home and disrupted their outside daily activities. It led to the closure of educational institutes, which is a source of many students to cope with numerous personal and familial issues. This study aims to focus on exploring the relationships and potential mediational pathways between mental health problems, illness perception, anxiety and depression disorders. Design/methodology/approach The study incorporated snowball sampling techniques through a cross-sectional, Web-based survey and recruited 500 students from different universities of twin cities, Rawalpindi and Islamabad from March 23 to April 15, 2020, during the coronavirus outbreak lockdown. The study used four instruments, Beck Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire and The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale for assessing depression, anxiety, illness perception and mental health disorders. Findings The findings indicated normal (43.2%), mild (20.5%), moderate (13.6%) and severe (22.7%) levels of anxiety prevalence in students. Results specified a normal (65.9%), mild (9.10%), moderate (9.12%) and severe (15.90%) depression prevalence and findings stipulated that anxiety disorder prevalence was higher than depression disorder. The correlational results specified a negative and significant relationship between mental health, illness perception, anxiety and depression symptoms. The multiple regression analysis stated that anxiety and depression disorders mediated the relationship between mental health and present illness perception. The perception of illness exhibited a relation to depression and anxiety disorders. Originality/value The study proposed a model to address mental health problems during the lockdown. The (2019-nCoV) illness perception developed mental disorders, including anxiety and depression, which has declined individuals’ mental health. There is an urgent need for ongoing clinical examination and management to address psychological disorders and findings suggest assessing mental health to combatting the pandemic worldwide. Findings recommend developing strategies to promote mental health-care facilities during COVID-19 wide-ranging disasters. These results highlight the impending importance of devising strategies to treat mental health problems.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amar Prashad Chaudhary ◽  
Narayan Sah Sonar ◽  
Jamuna TR ◽  
Moumita Banerjee ◽  
Shailesh Yadav

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has created a mental health crisis among college students in India due to lockdown restrictions, overwhelming numbers of COVID-19 cases, financial difficulty, etc. This mental health crisis has led to high degrees of fear, anxiety, and depression among college students. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to investigate symptoms of fear, depression, and anxiety due to the COVID-19 pandemic among college students in India. METHODS This cross-sectional web-based study was conducted using a Google Forms questionnaire. The Google Form included a sociodemographic questionnaire and psychometric scales evaluating the psychological and behavioral impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, both qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed in the study. RESULTS A total of 324 college students participated in this study, of whom 180 (55.6%) were male and 144 (44.4%) were female. After assessment of the psychometric scales, it was found that of the 324 students, 223 (68.8%) had high fear of COVID-19, 93 (28.7%) had moderate to severe depression, and 167 (51.5%) had mild to severe anxiety. Among the identified risk factors, having a family member who was infected with COVID-19 was significantly associated with anxiety and depression, with P values of .02 and .001, respectively. In addition, the correlations of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were found to be 0.492 and 0.474, respectively. CONCLUSIONS This research concludes that there is a very high fear of COVID-19 among students, along with anxiety and depression symptoms. This study also concludes that the Fear of COVID-19 Scale has a moderate positive correlation with the anxiety and depression scales, respectively.


2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 229-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Chiesi ◽  
Andrea Bonacchi ◽  
Caterina Primi ◽  
Alessandro Toccafondi ◽  
Guido Miccinesi

Abstract. The present study aimed at evaluating if the three-item sense of coherence (SOC) scale developed by Lundberg and Nystrom Peck (1995) can be effectively used for research purpose in both nonclinical and clinical samples. To provide evidence that it represents adequately the measured construct we tested its validity in a nonclinical (N = 658) and clinical sample (N = 764 patients with cancer). Results obtained in the nonclinical sample attested a positive relation of SOC – as measured by the three-item SOC scale – with Antonovsky’s 13-item and 29-item SOC scales (convergent validity), and with dispositional optimism, sense of mastery, anxiety, and depression symptoms (concurrent validity). Results obtained in the clinical sample confirmed the criterion validity of the scale attesting the positive role of SOC – as measured by the three-item SOC scale – on the person’s capacity to respond to illness and treatment. The current study provides evidence that the three-item SOC scale is a valid, low-loading, and time-saving instrument for research purposes on large sample.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0044118X2110018
Author(s):  
Chrisse Edmunds ◽  
Melissa Alcaraz

Adolescent mental health has implications for current and future wellbeing. While a link exists between poverty and mental health, little is known about how experiencing material hardship, such as insecurity of food, housing, utilities, and medical care, throughout early childhood affects adolescent mental health. We examine the relationship between material hardship in childhood and adolescent mental health. We use Poisson regression to examine the effect of material hardship experienced at different stages of childhood on adolescent depression and anxiety outcomes at age 15. We use longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study ( N = 3,222). We find that recently experiencing material hardship during childhood is positively and significantly associated with anxiety and depression symptoms at age 15, even when controlling for material hardship at age 15. Additionally, we find that insecurity during mid-childhood and the stress of lacking basic needs during a critical age may influence mental health in adolescence.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Björg Ásbjörnsdóttir ◽  
Marianne Vestgaard ◽  
Nicoline C. Do ◽  
Lene Ringholm ◽  
Lise L.T. Andersen ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Fabiana Silva Ribeiro ◽  
Flávia H. Santos ◽  
Luis Anunciação ◽  
Lucas Barrozo ◽  
Jesus Landeira-Fernandez ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency of international concern, and the main measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus causing COVID-19 were social distancing, quarantine, and self-isolation. Although these policies are effective in containing the spread of the virus, they might represent a challenge to psychological well-being, increasing levels of depressive and anxiety-related symptoms. Aims: We explored the frequency of anxiety and depression symptoms during COVID-19 restrictions and associations with sociodemographic factors in a Brazilian sample. Method: Data of a total of 936 Brazilian adults (68.2% women) aged 18 to 77 years old (M = 38.95, SD = 13.91) were collected through an online survey. Results: In general, we observed a frequency of 17.36% for severe anxiety and 66.13% for severe depression symptoms, in which younger participants (18–39 years old) and women showed higher scores in anxiety and depression scales compared to older age groups. Logistic regressions showed that women were more likely to present severe symptoms of anxiety (20.4%) compared to men (10.9%), as well as respondents in the educational sector (24.3%) compared to those in the health sector (10%). Conclusions: We highlight the importance of mental health professionals in developing strategies to help younger adults to mitigate the effects of social restriction.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e036494
Author(s):  
Barbara Gugała

ObjectivesTo assess the relationship between caregiver burden and severity of symptoms of anxiety/depression in parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP), and to identify factors differentiating the level of caregiver burden.SettingRegional rehabilitation centres in South-Eastern Poland.ParticipantsThe study involved 190 parents of children with CP, that is, 138 women and 52 men.Primary and secondary outcome measuresCaregiver burden was assessed using Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS), while the intensity of anxiety and depression symptoms was measured using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Potential predictors were examined using Gross Motor Function Classification System for Cerebral Palsy (GMFCS), Barthel Index (BI) as well as a questionnaire focusing on the characteristics of the child, the parent and the family. The analyses applied Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient as well as multiple regression analysis.ResultsAll the CBS measures are significantly correlated to HADS-A (anxiety) and HADS-D (depression). Intensity of anxiety is most visibly linked to CBS measures of disappointment and environment (p<0.0001), while severity of depression is related to emotional involvement and general strain (p<0.0001). The factors differentiating caregiver burden measure in the subscales of general strain (p<0.0001) and social isolation (p<0.0001) include the child’s age and BI, and the parent’s health status; in the subscale of disappointment (p<0.0001)—the child’s age, BI, GMFCS, as well as the parent’s age and health status; in the subscale of emotional involvement (p=0.0007)—BI, and the parent’s health status; in the subscale of environment (p=0.0002)—the child’s age and BI.ConclusionsThere is a positive linear relationship between the caregiver burden measures and severity of anxiety and depression. Effort should be made to relieve caregiver burden in parents of children with CP.


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