[Awareness of cancer diagnosis does not lead to depression in palliative care patients].
OBJECTIVE
Characterize the profile of patients under palliative care at this institution and evaluate the prevalence of depression in these patients.


METHODS
Sixty two cancer patients under palliative care, who had answered three questionnaires: one regarding their demographic characteristics, another to evaluate their quality of life and the Beck's depression inventory were surveyed.


RESULTS
Of these patients, 68% presented with some degree of depression. Most of them were aware of their diagnosis (87.1%), did not talk to their physicians on other subjects but their disease (81.18%), were satisfied with their treatment (93.33%) and with the support they received (95.70%). Pain, fatigue, weakness and sleep disturbances were the most frequently reported symptoms. There was a significant correlation between presence of depression and not knowing the diagnosis (p=0.008), being admitted to the hospital (p=0.0019) and not having ever received oncologic treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients under palliative care at this institution, despite being satisfied with the treatment, reported poor communication with their physicians and presented with a high rate of depression. Awareness of their diagnosis and having received prior oncologic treatment (p=0.07) correlated significantly and inversely with having depression.
Diniz
Renata Wanderley
RW
Faculdade de Medicina do ABC e Instituto de Oncologia--Sociedade Acadêmica de Estudo e Controle do Câncer, Santo André, SP.
Gonçalves
Marina Sahade
MS
Bensi
Carolina Games
CG
Campos
Arinilda Silva
AS
Giglio
Auro Del
AD
Garcia
Juliana Bueno
JB
Miranda
Vanessa da Costa
Vda C
Monteiro
Tatiana Alves
TA
Rosemberg
Michelle
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001364:Awareness; D001938:Brazil; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010166:Palliative Care; D010358:Patient Participation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires