title: Anxiety, depression, perceived social support and quality of life in Malaysian breast cancer patients: a 1-year prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression and anxiety are common psychiatric morbidity among breast cancer patient. There is a lack of study examining the correlation between depression, anxiety and quality of life (QoL) with perceived social support (PSS) among breast cancer patients. This study aims to study the level of depression, anxiety, QoL and PSS among Malaysian breast cancer women over a period of 12 months and their associations at baseline, 6 and 12 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  It is a 12 months prospective cohort study. Two hundred and twenty one female patients were included in the study. They were assessed at the time of diagnosis, 6 months and 12 month using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30), Version 3.0 of the EORTC Study Group and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The information of age, ethnicity, types of treatment, and staging of cancer were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HADS anxiety and depression subscales scores of the subjects were relatively low. The level of anxiety reduced significantly at 6 and 12 months (Baseline - 6 months, p = 0.002; Baseline - 12 months, p < 0.001). There were no changes in the level of depression over the study period. The global status of QoL and MSPSS scores were relatively high. Correlation between the global status of QoL and MSPSS for the study subjects was positive (Spearman's rho = 0.31-0.36). Global status of QoL and MSPSS scores were negatively correlated with anxiety and depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Malaysian breast cancer women had relatively better QoL with lower level of anxiety and depression. Perceived social support was an important factor for better QoL and low level of psychological distress. It reflects the importance of attention on activities that enhance and maintain the social support system for breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Lembah Pantai, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. chong_guan@um.edu.my.
authors.forename: Chong Guan
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Salina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mee Hoong
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: See
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Faizah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Harun
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Maznah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dahlui
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Lembah Pantai, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Ahmad Hatim
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Sulaiman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Lembah Pantai, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nor Zuraida
authors.initials: NZ
authors.lastname: Zainal
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nur Aishah
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Taib
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors