title: [Psychosocial status of Hungarian cancer patients. A descriptive study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psychosocial status of cancer patients is still understudied in Hungary.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the authors was to obtain current information on the mental and social status of this patient group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Altogether, 1070 cancer patients with a wide range of cancer types were included in the study (30.0% male; age: 55.9 ± 11.0 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A large part of the patients had serious financial difficulties and 41.3% of them were struggling with at least one more comorbid chronic disease. Further, 52.2% of the patients reported at least moderate anxiety or depression, while the occurrence of suicidal thoughts was almost three times higher among them than in the Hungarian normal population (13.0% vs. 4.6%). Level of perceived social support was also lower than the population standards and 61.6% of the patients reported willingness to benefit from professional psychological support. Quality of social life of the patients deteriorated with time after cancer diagnosis. A positive phenomenon, however, was that the primary coping style reported was active problem solving.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors conclude that it is necessary to screen cancer patients for psychosocial difficulties and to establish conditions for their adequate mental and social care in Hungary.
authors: Egyesített Szent István és Szent László Rendelőintézet és Kórház Onkológiai Osztály Budapest Tűzmadár Alapítvány Budapest.
authors: Magda
authors: M
authors: Rohánszky
authors: Tűzmadár Alapítvány Budapest Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem Affektív Pszichológia Tanszék Budapest.
authors: Rózsa
authors: R
authors: Katonai
authors: Tűzmadár Alapítvány Budapest Semmelweis Egyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar Magatartástudományi Intézet Budapest Nagyvárad tér 4. 1089 University of Calgary Department of Psychology Calgary.
authors: Barna
authors: B
authors: Konkolÿ Thege
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011340:Problem Solving; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: betegséggel való megküzdés; cancer patients; coping with illness; daganatos betegek; mental health; mentális egészség; quality of life; sociodemographic characteristics; szociodemográfiai jellemzők; életminőség