title: Changes in the psychological characteristics of oral cancer patients in the perioperative period: a quantitative evaluation.
abstract: We examined the changes in psychological distress and quality of life (QOL) during the perioperative period in oral cancer patients undergoing surgery and investigated the relationship between patient's psychological distress and QOL. Methods. Fifty patients participated. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; Japanese version), as a psychological test and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy General (FACT-G); and Head and Neck (FACT-H&N), as quality of life (QOL) surveys were administered preoperatively, after surgery, and 1 month after leaving the hospital. Results. Anxiety was highest pre-operation and depression was highest post-operation, but improvements in both were seen post-discharge. At the pre-operation time point, anxiety and depression low-score groups had significantly high scores on Emotional well-being and Functional well-being. At the post-operation time point, anxiety and depression low-score groups had significantly high scores on all QOL subscales. Conclusion. Providing psychological support while considering anxiety might be particularly useful preoperatively whereas providing psychological support while considering depression might be particularly useful postoperatively.
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koizumi
authors.forename: Eisuke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Matsushima
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mochizuki
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Omura
authors.forename: Teruo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Amagasa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005887:Gingival Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D010351:Patient Discharge; D059035:Perioperative Period; D011184:Postoperative Period; D057234:Preoperative Period; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery