Abu-Odah Hammoda, Molassiotis Alex, Zhao Ivy Y, Su Jing Jing, Allsop Matthew J
School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Nursing and Health Sciences Department, University College of Applied Sciences (UCAS), Gaza, Palestine.
Front Psychol. 2022 Dec 2;13:1061327. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1061327. eCollection 2022.
There is limited research exploring the experiences of people living with advanced cancer in the Gaza Strip (GS), Palestine. Thus, this study aimed to determine the level of psychological distress, anxiety, and depression among advanced cancer patients in the GS and identify factors associated with a high level of distress.
A secondary analysis was performed using primary data from a larger study focusing on supportive care needs in advanced cancer patients in GS. Three hundred sixty-one patients agreed to participate and filled out the Distress Thermometer (DT) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to identify factors associated with high distress levels.
Over two-thirds of advanced cancer patients (70.6%) reported a high level of distress. They also reported a significantly higher distress level than patients with early cancer (96.5 vs. 3.5%; = 0.001). About 92.8% of participants reported depression and anxiety symptoms. Physical, emotional, and practical problems were the primary sources of distress. Breast cancer patients were more likely to have psychological distress than colon and stomach cancer patients. Newly diagnosed patients had a higher level of anxiety, depression, and distress than those who had a cancer diagnosis for an extended period.
Patients with advanced cancer in the GS exhibited a significantly higher level of psychological distress, depression and anxiety than patients with advanced cancer elsewhere. Efforts should be made to identify psychological distress as a routine part of oncology practice. Future research should further explore the causes of psychological distress in cancer patients in conflict zones and feasible mitigation strategies.
关于巴勒斯坦加沙地带晚期癌症患者经历的研究有限。因此，本研究旨在确定加沙地带晚期癌症患者的心理困扰、焦虑和抑郁水平，并确定与高度困扰相关的因素。
使用来自一项更大规模研究的原始数据进行二次分析，该研究聚焦于加沙地带晚期癌症患者的支持性护理需求。361名患者同意参与并填写了苦恼温度计（DT）和医院焦虑抑郁量表（HADS）。进行多因素逻辑回归以确定与高度苦恼水平相关的因素。
超过三分之二的晚期癌症患者（70.6%）报告有高度苦恼。他们报告的苦恼水平也显著高于早期癌症患者（96.5%对3.5%；P = 0.001）。约92.8%的参与者报告有抑郁和焦虑症状。身体、情绪和实际问题是苦恼的主要来源。乳腺癌患者比结肠癌和胃癌患者更易出现心理困扰。新诊断患者的焦虑、抑郁和苦恼水平高于癌症诊断时间较长的患者。
加沙地带的晚期癌症患者表现出的心理困扰、抑郁和焦虑水平显著高于其他地方的晚期癌症患者。应努力将识别心理困扰作为肿瘤学实践的常规部分。未来的研究应进一步探索冲突地区癌症患者心理困扰的原因及可行的缓解策略。
