title: A cross-sectional study of anxiety and marital quality among women with breast cancer at a university clinic in western Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine relationship between the quality of marital relationship and anxiety among women with breast cancer (BC) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study recruited a consecutive series of 49 married women with BC seen in the Al-Amoudi Breast Cancer Center of Excellence at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, KSA in early 2013. Participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Spouse Perception Scale, and Quality of Marriage Index forms, and answered questions on demographic and cancer characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anxiety symptoms indicating "possible" anxiety disorder were present in 10.4% and "probable" anxiety disorder in 14.6% (25% total). No significant relationship was found between the quality of marital relationship and anxiety symptoms (B=-0.04, standard error=0.05, t=-0.81, p=0.42). Anxiety was primarily driven by low education, poor socioeconomic status, and young age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anxiety symptoms are prevalent among married women with BC seen in a university-based clinic in the KSA. Further research is needed to determine whether a diagnosis of BC adversely affects marital relationship, and whether this is the cause for anxiety in these women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. E-mail. faten_zaben@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Faten N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Al-Zaben
authors.forename: Mohammad G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Sehlo
authors.forename: Harold G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Koenig
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult