Measured effect of some socio-demographic factors on depression among breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH)

Breast cancer is a disease predominantly found amongst women. It is a disease which threatens an organ that is intimately associated with a woman's self image, sexuality, as well as her reproductive and nurturing capacity. These threats have serious psychological implications for women living w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:African health sciences 2011-09, Vol.11 (3), p.341-345
Main Authors: Akin-Odanye, E O, Chioma, C Asuzu, Abiodun, O Popoola
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use
Breast cancer
Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy
Breast Neoplasms - psychology
Chemotherapy
Demographics
Depression - etiology
Depression - psychology
Educational Status
Female
Health and Medicine
Humans
Mental depression
Middle Aged
Nigeria
Non Communicable diseases
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Psychological research
Regression Analysis
Research methodology
Risk Factors
Self image
Socioeconomic Factors
Statistical analysis
Studies
Women
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Summary:Breast cancer is a disease predominantly found amongst women. It is a disease which threatens an organ that is intimately associated with a woman's self image, sexuality, as well as her reproductive and nurturing capacity. These threats have serious psychological implications for women living with breast cancer. To examine the pattern and predictors of depressive symptoms among breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). Ethical approval was obtained for an ongoing multi-centre study. The data used in this study are pre-test scores from breast cancer patients in the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. The 21-item Becks Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) was administered on 33 purposively sampled breast cancer patients who read and signed informed consent forms before taking part in the study. Analysis of data using simple percentages showed that the 33 participants indicated varying degree of depressive symptoms: 13 (39.4%) of the respondents had minimal depression, 12 (36.4%) of them had mild depression, 3 (9.1%) had moderate depression, and 5 (15.2%) had severe depression. The average BDI-II score yielded 16.09 indicating mild depression. Multiple regression analysis results showed that being informed about breast cancer, average monthly income, cancer stage and educational level significantly predicted participants' level of depression. This study confirmed the presence of depressive symptoms in cancer patients in Nigeria. It was recommended that intervention programs to help reduce these depressive symptoms be developed.
ISSN:1680-6905
1729-0503