title: Depression and suicide ideas of cancer patients and influencing factors in South Korea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study compared risk factors for depression and suicidal ideas among cancer patients for comparison with the general population, and identified influencing factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from 2,472 cancer patients in the National Cancer Center and nine Regional Cancer Centers and frequency-matched data for age and sex from 2,349 members of the general population who completed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2008. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors affecting depression and suicidal ideas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cancer patients were not likely to have more depression (OR=0.96, 95%CI=0.79-1.18) and were less likely to have suicidal ideas (OR=0.64, 95%CI=0.53-0.79) compared to the general population. Female sex, more stress, and lower quality of life were influencing factors. The additional risk factors for suicidal ideas among cancer patients included income (OR=0.62, 95%CI=0.43-0.91), smoking (OR=1.63, 95% CI=1.06-2.50), recurrence (OR=1.50, 95%CI=1.15-1.95), and chemotherapy (OR=1.66, 95%CI=1.26-2.19).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No differences appeared in depression rates between cancer patients and the general population, and cancer patients were less likely to have suicidal ideas. However, cancer patients were likely to have more risk factors than the general population, and those classified as being at high risk of suicide should receive distress management and social economic support, from early in the treatment process.
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Center in Korea, E-mail : whitemiso@ncc.re.kr.
authors.forename: Su Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong Hyock
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Bo Young
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: So Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Il Hak
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong Heun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dai Ha
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Chang-Hoon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Myong Sei
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sohn
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D059020:Suicidal Ideation