Association between self-esteem and depression among patients with head and neck cancer: a pilot study.
BACKGROUND
We examined the psychological distress in patients with head and neck cancer and investigated how preoperative self-esteem influenced psychological distress during treatment.


METHODS
Fifty-eight patients who were scheduled for surgery for head and neck cancer participated. The Japanese version of hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) was administered preoperatively, after surgery, and 6 months postoperatively, and Rosenberg self-esteem scale was administered preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively.


RESULTS
There were significant differences among the 3 examination periods for psychological distress; the course of anxiety and depression differed between the high self-esteem group (HSEG) and the low self-esteem group (LSEG). In all examination periods, anxiety and depression scores for HSEG were significantly better than for LSEG. As for depression, scores did not change significantly over time in HSEG, whereas the scores went from bad to worse in LSEG.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with cancer undergoing surgery, especially patients with low self-esteem, need preoperative and ongoing intervention.
Kobayashi
Mika
M
Department of Comprehensive Diagnosis and Therapeutics, Section Division of Liaison Psychiatry and Palliative Medicine, Graduate School of Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
Sugimoto
Taro
T
Matsuda
Ayako
A
Matsushima
Eisuke
E
Kishimoto
Seiji
S
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires