title: Anxiety and depression, cognitive coping strategies, and health locus of control in patients with digestive system cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Contemporary psycho-oncology focuses on the study of the psychological determinants of the functioning of cancer patients. Among the psychological factors that significantly affect the functioning of the patients are anxiety and depressive disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the psychological functioning of patients with digestive system cancer in the cancer-treating process and to develop guidelines for psychological care dedicated to this group of patients based on the results of the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 69 patients aged 23 to 91 (average 56) years with digestive system cancer treated in the Gastroenterology Cancer Clinic in the Institute of Oncology in Warsaw were examined using HADS, Mini-MAC, and MHLC. The results were analysed using statistical tests and correlation analysis. Another 532 patients from other wards formed the reference group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Measured HLC, anxiety, and depression did not differ significantly from the overall patient population. The investigation of the relationships between anxiety and depression and mental adjustment to cancer showed a positive correlation between anxiety and depression and anxious preoccupation and hopelessness-helplessness, and negative correlation between anxiety and depression and fighting spirit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained research results on the correlation of anxiety and depression with health locus of control show that the lower the severity of anxiety and depression, the higher the severity of internal health locus of control. The results confirm the necessity of psychological support forcancer patients showing evidence of destructive attitudes and external health locus of control, so that the severity of anxiety-depressive disorders can indirectly be reduced.
authors: Department of Medical Psychology, Psychooncology Clinic, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Kulpa
authors: Psychooncology Clinic, Oncology Centre of the M. Skłodowska-Curie - Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Mariola
authors: M
authors: Kosowicz
authors: Department of Oncology and Internal Medicine and Pain Clinic, Oncology Centre of the M. Skłodowska-Curie - Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Beata J
authors: BJ
authors: Stypuła-Ciuba
authors: Psychooncology Clinic, Oncology Centre of the M. Skłodowska-Curie - Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Dorota
authors: D
authors: Kazalska
keywords: anxiety; cancer; coping strategies; depression
references: Psychol Med. 1988 Feb;18(1):203-9
references: 3363039
references: Clin J Oncol Nurs. 2003 May-Jun;7(3):281-8
references: 12793334
references: Support Care Cancer. 2007 Jan;15(1):21-30
references: 16738906
references: Support Care Cancer. 2011 Nov;19(11):1735-41
references: 20872234
references: Cancer Surv. 1987;6(3):439-53
references: 3326657
references: Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2004 Dec;13(5):454-63
references: 15606713
references: J Pers Assess. 1981 Jun;45(3):314-9
references: 7252756
references: Psychooncology. 2008 Feb;17(2):170-3
references: 17523128
references: PLoS One. 2011;6(6):e21274
references: 21712998
references: Cancer Nurs. 2011 Jul-Aug;34(4):302-14
references: 21116179
references: BMC Cancer. 2010 Oct 29;10:594
references: 21034465