title: Predictors of emotional distress in patients with head and neck cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with head and neck cancer are known to be more commonly emotionally distressed than patients with other tumors. This study investigates reasons for this difference.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients in this prospective cohort study included those with head and neck cancer (n = 113) and those with other cancers (n = 1690). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, measuring emotional distress, along with additional questions regarding emotional support wished and provided were administered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with head and neck tumors were 1.5-fold (at the time of admission), 1.2-fold (before discharge), and 2.7-fold (half a year after admission) more frequently distressed than the other patients with cancer. This association was confounded by perceived social support and sociodemographic factors. Patients with head and neck cancer expressed less frequently the wish for and received less support by psycho-oncologists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Emotional distress is more common in patients with head and neck tumors; this is largely a result of the psychosocial context the patients live in, especially the amount of social support received.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. Susanne.singer@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Krauss
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keszte
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Siegl
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Papsdorf
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Severi
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hauss
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Briest
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.forename: Elmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brähler
authors.forename: Rolf-Dieter
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Kortmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*