title: Anxiety and depression among haematological cancer patients attending treatment centres: prevalence and predictors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to: (1) estimate the prevalence of anxiety and/or depression among haematological cancer patients attending treatment centres; and (2) explore the demographic, disease and treatment characteristics associated with anxiety and/or depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted with outpatients from three haematology clinics in Australia. Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of haematological cancer were approached by a research assistant while waiting for their appointment and invited to participate in the survey. Participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and self-reported demographic, disease and treatment characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Questionnaires from 304 participants were returned. Twenty-seven percent of patients reported anxiety and 17% reported depression. Specifically, 15% reported anxiety without depression, 5% reported depression without anxiety, and 12% reported comorbid anxiety and depression. Participants who had to relocate to receive treatment had almost three times the odds of reporting anxiety and/or depression compared to those who did not have to move. Former smokers also had significantly higher odds of reporting anxiety and/or depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HADS is likely to have produced some false positives and false negatives when compared with gold standard structured clinical interviews for assessing psychological morbidity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Approximately 20% of haematological cancer patients attending outpatient clinics may experience clinically significant levels of anxiety and/or depression. Providing additional tailored support to patients who have had to relocate for treatment, and to former smokers, may help to reduce anxiety and depression among these subgroups.
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: tara.clintonmcharg@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au.
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Clinton-McHarg
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanson-Fisher
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Flora
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tzelepis
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bryant
authors.affiliation: The Leukaemia Foundation, Windsor, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Williamson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Anxiety; Cancer; Depression; Haematology; Treatment centre