[Prevalence of concomitant psychiatric disorders and the desire for psychosocial help in patients with malignant tumors in an acute hospital].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

A diagnosis of cancer can overpower a patient's ability to cope and thus can increase the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in this group of patients. It was the aim of this study to estimate that prevalence in tumor patients during their acute treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

689 patients with malignancies were interviewed using the structure clinical interview connected with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV [SCID]) DSM-IV during their first days of inpatient treatment. The patients' wishes for psychosocial support by the oncological team were assessed.

RESULTS

32 % of the patients were diagnosed having a psychiatric disorder, e. g. depression. Prevalence was greater among female and/or young patients, those who had little money, were receiving chemotherapy and those who had not yet been diagnosed with cancer but in whom it was suspected. Some types of tumor were more likely to be associated with a mental disorder, for instance gynecological and head-and-neck malignancies. 83 % of the patients asked for psychosocial help from the treating physician, 44 % from the social worker, 30 % from the clinical psychologist, and 8 % from a spiritual adviser. Support was especially needed by patients who felt sad or depressed, and in those who lacked social support: these needs were unrelated to tumor stage and time since diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Inpatient cancer patients frequently suffer from a psychiatric disorder. The majority of them would like to get psychosocial support, especially from their treating physician. It should be recognized that it is not only palliative care patients with advanced disease who need psychosocial treatment and support.