Article Figures & Data
Figures
- Figure 1
- Distribution of distress scores among cancer patients in Saudi Arabia (N=280).
Tables
- Table 1
- Baseline sociodemographic characteristics and DT score among cancer patients in Saudi Arabia (N=280).
Variable DT score ≥4, n=129 DT score <4, n=151 Total P-value Age (years) Mean (SD) 51.1 (12.6) 52.5 (15.5) 51.8 (14.3) 0.3 15-42 25 (19) 35 (23) 60 (21) 43-60 74 (57) 67 (44) 141 (50) >60 30 (23) 49 (33) 79 (28) 0.08 Gender Male 37 (29) 66 (44) 103 (37) 0.009 Female 92 (71) 85 (56) 177 (63) Nationality Saudi 99 (7) 137 (91) 236 (84) 0.001 Non-Saudi 30 (23) 14 (9) 44 (16) Residence Owned 84 (6) 114 (76) 198 (71) 0.05 Rented 45 (44) 37 (24) 82 (29) Employed Yes 32 (25) 45 (30) 77 (27) 0.3 No 97 (75) 106 (70) 203 (73) Household residents Mean (SD) 6 (2.7) 6 (2.8) 6 (2.7) 0.9 ≤4 39 (30) 42 (28) 81 (29) 4-8 69 (54) 82 (54) 151 (54) 0.8 >8 21 (16) 27 (18) 48 (17) Marital status Married 106 (82) 121 (80) 227 (81) 0.7 Single 12 (9) 19 (13) 31 (11) Divorced 6 (5) 6 (5) 13 (5) Widow/widower 5 (4) 5 (4) 9 (3) Income (SR) <5000 51 (40) 61 (40) 112 (40) 0.9 5000-10,000 30 (23) 32 (21) 62 (22) 10,001-15,000 26 (20) 29 (19) 55 (20) 15,001-20,000 13 (10) 18 (12) 31 (11) ≥20,000 9 (7) 11 (7) 20 (7) Education Below high school 48 (37) 50 (33) 98 (35) 0.1 High school 34 (26) 34 (23) 68 (24) Bachelor’s degree 41 (32) 57 (38) 98 (35) Master’s degree 2 (2) 9 (6) 11 (4) PhD 4 (3) 1 (1) 5 (2) Region of residence Central 108 (84) 116 (77) 224 (80) 0.1 South 6 (5) 13 (9) 19 (7) West 8 (6) 8 (6) 15 (5) North 6 (5) 7 (5) 13 (5) East 1 (1) 1 (1) 9 (3) Values are presented as number and percentages (%). DT: distress thermometer, SD: standard deviation, SR: Saudi Riyal, PhD: Doctor of Philosophy
- Table 2
- Clinical characteristics association with DT score among cancer patients in Saudi Arabia (N=280).
Variable DT ≥4 n=129 DT <4 n=151 Total N=280 P-value Type of cancer Breast 66 (51) 56 (37) 122 (44) Colon 45 (35) 66 (44) 111 (40) 0.05 Lymphoma 18 (14) 29 (19) 47 (16) Cancer stage Undetermined 62 (48) 83 (55) 145 (52) 1 4 (3) 20 (13) 24 (9) 2 26 (20) 20 (13) 46 (16) 3 20 (16) 17 (11) 37 (13) 0.003 4 17(13) 11 (7) 28 (10) Treatment modality Chemotherapy 113 (88) 126 (83) 239 (85) 0.3 Surgery 67 (52) 79 (52) 146 (52) 0.9 Radiotherapy 47 (36) 37 (25) 84 (30) 0.03 Hormonal therapy 19 (15) 14 (9) 33 (12) 0.1 Biological therapy 14 (11) 20 (13) 34 (12) 0.5 Values are presented as number and percentages (%). DT: distress thermometer
- Table 3
- Association of psychological characteristics with DT score among cancer patients in Saudi Arabia (N=280).
Variable DT ≥4 n=129 DT <4 n=151 Total N=280 P-value Visited a psychiatrist Yes 22 (17) 3 (2) 25 (9) <0.0001 No 107 (83) 148 (98) 255 (91) Diagnosed with a psychiatric illness Yes 17 (13) 2 (1) 19 (7) Depression 10 (59) 2 (0) 12 (63) Adjustment disorder 2 (12) 0 (0) 2 (11) Stress disorder 1 (1) 0 (0) 1 (5) Anxiety 1 (1) 0 (0) 1 (5) <0.0001 Did not answer 3 (18) 0 (0) 3 (16) No 112 (87) 149 (99) 261 (93) Using psychiatric medication Yes 15 (12) 3 (2) 18 (6) 0.0007 No 114 (88) 148 (98) 262 (94) Depression (PHQ-9) Mean score (SD) 8.4 (5) 3.8 (3.6) 5.9 (4.9) <0.0001 Normal (score 0-9) 86 (67) 139 (92) 225 (80) <0.0001 Depression (score >9) 43 (33) 12 (8) 55 (20) Degree of depression Minimal 25 (19) 98 (65) 123 (44) Mild 61 (47) 41 (27) 102 (36) <0.0001 Moderate 23 (18) 10 (7) 33 (12) Moderately severe 15 (12) 2(1) 17 (6) Severe 5 (4) 0 (0) 5 (2) Individual PHQ-9 items Loss of interest 102 (59.3) 70 (40.7) 172 (61.43) <0.001 Feeling ‘down’ or depressed 34 (25.56) 99 (74.4) 133 (47.5) <0.001 Suicidal ideation 17 (13) 5 (3) 22 (8) 0.001 Anxiety (GAD-7) Mean (SD) 7.8 (5.8) 3.1 (3.6) 5.3 (5.3) <0.0001 Normal (score 0–9) 81 (63) 138 (91) 61 (22) <0.0001 Anxiety (score >9) 48 (37) 13 (9) 219 (78) Degree of anxiety Minimal anxiety 42 (32) 110 (73) 152 (54) <0.0001 Mild anxiety 39 (30) 28 (18) 67 (24) Moderate anxiety 28 (22) 12 (8) 40 (14) Severe anxiety 20 (16) 1 (1) 21 (8) Satisfaction with social support Mean (SD) 8.4 (2) 9 (1.2) 8.8 (1.7) 0.0006 Score >8 73 (57) 110 (73) 203 (72) Score ≤8 56 (43) 41 (27) 77 (28) 0.004 Values are presented as numbers and percentages (%). DT: distress thermometer, GAD-7: Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, PHQ-9: Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item scale, SD: standard deviation
- Table 4
- Association of problem list scores with the DT score among cancer patients in Saudi Arabia (N=280).
Variable DT ≥4 n=129 DT <4 n=151 Total N=280 P-value Practical problems Childcare 7 (50.0) 7 (50.0) 14 (5.0) 0.7626 Housing 16 (69.6) 7 (30.4) 23 (8.2) 0.0176* Insurance/financial 20 (69.0) 9 (31.0) 29 (10.4) 0.0086* Transportation 20 (64.5) 11 (35.5) 31 (11.1) 0.0286* Work/School 6 (60.0) 4 (40.0) 10 (3.6) 0.3686 Treatment decisions 33 (80.5) 8 (19.5) 41 (14.6) <0.0001* Family problems Dealing with children 9 (64.3) 5 (35.7) 14 (5.0) 0.16 Dealing with partner 13 (72.2) 5 (27.8) 18 (6.4) 0.0202* Ability to have children 4 (66.7) 2 (33.3) 6 (2.1) 0.3046 Family health issues 18 (64.3) 10 (35.7) 28 (10.0) 0.0412* Emotional problems Depression 23 (88.5) 3 (11.5) 26 (9.3) <0.0001* Fears 54 (66.7) 27 (33.3) 81 (28.9) <0.0001* Nervousness 93 (41.5) 131 (58.5) 224 (80.0) 0.0022* Sadness 36 (85.7) 6 (14.3) 42 (15.0) <0.0001* Worry 40 (65.6) 21 (34.4) 61 (21.8) 0.0005* Loss of interest in usual activities 94 (41.1) 135 (58.0) 229 (81.8) 0.0003* Spiritual/religious concerns 7 (5.0) 3 (2.0) 10 (4.0) 0.1 Physical problems Appearance 24 (19.0) 18 (12.0) 42 (15.0) 0.1 Bathing/dressing 16 (12.0) 3 (2.0) 19 (7.0) 0.0004* Breathing 30 (23.0) 16 (11.0) 46 (16.0) 0.004* Changes in urination 21 (16.0) 16 (11.0) 37 (13.0) 0.1 Constipation 42 (33.0) 26 (17.0) 68 (24.0) 0.002* Diarrhea 34 (26.0) 23 (15.0) 57 (20.0) 0.02* Eating 31 (24.0) 11 (7.0) 42 (15.0) <0.0001* Fatigue 63 (49.0) 53 (35.0) 116 (41.0) 0.01* Feeling swollen 23 (18.0) 17 (11.0) 40 (14.0) 0.1 Fevers 15 (12.0) 7 (5.0) 22 (8.0) 0.02* Getting around 30 (23.0) 18 (12.0) 48 (17.0) 0.012* Indigestion 19 (15.0) 4 (3.0) 23 (8.0) 0.0002* Memory/concentration 29 (22.0) 12 (8.0) 41 (15.0) 0.0006* Mouth sores 20 (16.0) 15 (10.0) 35 (13.0) 0.1 Nausea 38 (29.0) 29 (19.0) 67(24.0) 0.04* Nose dry/congested 22 (17.0) 21 (14.0) 43 (15.0) 0.4 Pain 41 (32.0) 15 (10.0) 56 (20.0) <0.0001* Sexual 3 (2.0) 1 (1.0) 4 (1.0) 0.2 Skin dry/itchy 39 (30.0) 31 (21.0) 70 (25.0) 0.06 Substance abuse 0 (0) 1 (1.0) 1 (0.4.0) 0.2 Tingling in hands/feet 53 (41.0) 48 (32.0) 101 (36.0) 0.1 Values are presented as numbers and percentages (%).
↵* statistically significant with a p-value of p<0.05. DT: distress thermometer.
- Table 5
- Logistic regression analysis of potential risk factors for severe distress (DT score ≥4) among cancer patients in Saudi Arabia (N=280).
Variable OR (95% CI) P-value Male gender 0.6 (0.2–1.79) 0.356 Saudi nationality 0.22 (0.05–0.95) 0.037 Householders 1.35 (0.43–4.21) 0.6 Type of cancer (breast) 0.42 (0.13–1.4) 0.155 Cancer stage (=1) 0.18 (0.05–1.4) 0.002 Radiotherapy 3.6 (1.33–9.99) 0.009 Anxiety (GAD-7 score >9) 8.7 (1.98–38.24) 0.002 Depression (PHQ-9 score >9) 3.64 (0.83–15.94) 0.076 Satisfaction with social support 0.64 (0.23–1.78) 0.391 CI: confidence interval, DT: distress thermometer, OR: odds ratio, GAD-7: Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, PHQ-9: Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item scale
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