title: [Impact of depression and anxiety assessment performed in gastrointestinal cancer patients on postoperative depression and anxiety symptom and mental health service visit].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of depression and anxiety assessment performed in gastrointestinal cancer patients on postoperative depression and anxiety symptom and mental health service visit.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 254 gastrointestinal cancer patients who underwent surgical procedure were assigned into assessment group (n=121) and control group (n=133). Depression and anxiety assessment were performed with PHQ-9 and GAD-7 in assessment group on admission, discharge and at 3-month follow-up while in control group only at 3-month follow-up. The point prevalence of depression and anxiety were evaluated in assessment group with established cut-off reported by ASCO defining depression as a PHQ-9 score no less than 8 and anxiety as a GAD-7 score no less than 5. PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores at 3-month follow-up were compared using Mann-Whitney U test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 score, the prevalence of depression was 28.9%(35/121) and anxiety was 37.2%(45/121) in assessment group, and depression was found in 9.9%(12/121) with comorbid anxiety. During the 3-month follow-up, the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 score in assessment group (6.02±4.67 and 4.19±3.95) were both lower than those in control group (8.83±6.63 and 6.41±5.80) with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). Patients in assessment group were more likely to seek for help in mental health service than those in control group [10.7%(13/121) vs. 3.0%(4/133), χ(2)=9.726, P=0.014] in 3-month follow-up after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of depression and anxiety is high in gastrointestinal cancer patients. Depression and anxiety assessment routinely performed for gastrointestinal cancer patients can enhance utilization of mental health service and reduce postoperative depression and anxiety symptom thus potentially improve quality of life.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Qingdao University Affiliated Hospital, Qingdao 266071, China. zhouyanbing999@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Yanbing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Dongsheng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shougen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Xuelong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiao
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires