title: Pain and Anxiety versus Sense of Family Support in Lung Cancer Patients.
abstract: Lung cancer is a stressful condition for both patient and family. The anxiety and pain accompanying cancer and its treatment have a significant negative influence on the patient's quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between anxiety, pain, and perceived family support in a sample of lung cancer patients. The sample consisted of a total of 101 lung cancer outpatients receiving treatment at the oncology department of a general hospital. Anxiety, pain (severity and impact on everyday life), and perceived family support were assessed using Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Brief Pain Inventory, and the Family Support Scale, respectively. Statistical analyses revealed correlations between anxiety, pain, and family support as perceived by the patients. The intensity of pain had a positive correlation with both state and trait anxiety and a negative correlation with family support. Anxiety (state and trait) had a significant negative correlation with family support. In conclusion, high prevalence rates of anxiety disorders were observed in lung cancer patients. Females appeared more susceptible to anxiety symptoms with a less sense of family support. A negative correlation was evidenced between family support and anxiety and a positive one between anxiety and pain.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Department, "Sotiria" General Hospital of Chest Diseases, Mesogeion 152, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lekka
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Department, "Sotiria" General Hospital of Chest Diseases, Mesogeion 152, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Argiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pachi
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Department, "Sotiria" General Hospital of Chest Diseases, Mesogeion 152, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2591-965X
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tselebis
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Department, "Sotiria" General Hospital of Chest Diseases, Mesogeion 152, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zafeiropoulos
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Department, "Sotiria" General Hospital of Chest Diseases, Mesogeion 152, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dionisios
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9881-834X
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bratis
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Department, "Sotiria" General Hospital of Chest Diseases, Mesogeion 152, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Argiri
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Evmolpidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, "Elena Venizelou" Hospital, 11521 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ilias
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Department, "Sotiria" General Hospital of Chest Diseases, Mesogeion 152, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karkanias
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Department, "Sotiria" General Hospital of Chest Diseases, Mesogeion 152, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moussas
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Medicine, Medical School, University of Crete, 71 003 Heraklion, Greece ; Department of Social Medicine, Laboratory of Epidemiology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71 003 Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tzanakis
authors.affiliation: Oncology Unit, Third Department of Internal Medicine, Athens Medical School, "Sotiria" General Hospital of Chest Disease, Mesogeion 152, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Syrigos