Hospital A.C. Camargo, Radiology Department, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Psychooncology. 2011 Nov;20(11):1242-5. doi: 10.1002/pon.1842. Epub 2010 Sep 2.
Anxiety disorders have been shown to undermine the quality of life of cancer patients. Unfortunately, medical professionals often neglect to screen for anxiety in their patients. The aim of the present study was to describe the prevalence of anxiety in patients awaiting diagnostic procedures in an oncology center waiting room, and to investigate possible relationships between anxiety and demographic and clinical variables.
A cross-sectional study was performed with 398 patients who completed a self-administered questionnaire containing the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).
Results of the HADS indicated that 38% of participants had anxiety, while data from the STAI showed that 46% had either high state or trait anxiety. The most frequently cited source of anxiety was concern over test results. Age, gender, employment status, and education level were correlated with anxiety.
The prevalence of anxiety is high among patients awaiting diagnostic procedures. Patients in the waiting room should be routinely screened for anxiety. Careful assessment and treatment of anxiety are important components in the care of patients with cancer.
焦虑症已被证明会降低癌症患者的生活质量。不幸的是，医疗专业人员在患者中常常忽略对焦虑症进行筛查。本研究的目的是描述在肿瘤中心候诊室等待诊断程序的患者中焦虑症的患病率，并探讨焦虑症与人口统计学和临床变量之间的可能关系。
采用横断面研究方法，对 398 名完成包含医院焦虑和抑郁量表（HADS）和状态-特质焦虑量表（STAI）的自我管理问卷的患者进行研究。
HADS 的结果表明，38%的参与者存在焦虑，而 STAI 的数据显示，46%的参与者存在高状态或特质焦虑。焦虑的最常见来源是对检查结果的担忧。年龄、性别、就业状况和教育程度与焦虑相关。
在等待诊断程序的患者中，焦虑症的患病率很高。候诊室的患者应常规筛查焦虑症。对焦虑症的仔细评估和治疗是癌症患者护理的重要组成部分。
