title: Prevalence of and factors associated with anxiety and depression in Korean patients with newly diagnosed advanced gastrointestinal cancer.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to assess the prevalence of and factors associated with anxiety and depression in Korean patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer.
  
  
  
  One hundred and twenty consecutive patients with newly diagnosed, advanced gastrointestinal cancer who were scheduled to receive palliative chemotherapy between July 2012 and June 2014 were enrolled in this observational prospective study. Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).
  
  
  
  Thirty-seven patients (30.8%) had anxiety or depression with clinical significance according to HADS or PHQ-9. Multivariate analysis identified lower performance status (odds ratio [OR], 4.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22 to 14.35;p= 0.023), gastric cancer (OR, 5.39; 95% CI, 0.37 to 78.23;p= 0.018), and knowledge of advanced cancer (OR, 15.07; 95% CI, 1.80 to 125.90;p= 0.012) as significantly associated with anxiety or depression. Twenty-one patients with anxiety or depression visited the psycho-oncologic clinic. In these patients, PHQ-9 score (p= 0.008), global health status (p= 0.023), fatigue (p= 0.047), and appetite loss (p= 0.006) improved from baseline to 3 months after study enrollment.
  
  
  
  Approximately 30% of Korean patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer had anxiety or depression. The prevalence of anxiety or depression was higher in patients with poor performance status, gastric cancer, or knowledge of advanced cancer. Psychiatric interventions may be effective in reducing depression and improving quality of life in cancer patients with anxiety or depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Junghwa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Gawon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jiyoul
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jiwon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Yusook
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Moon Ki
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jihyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea.|Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Hyeong
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea.|Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Taik
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea.|Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Sook
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Gastrointestinal; Neoplasms