ISSN 2167-0404
International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences ISSN: 2167-0404 Vol. 2 (10), pp. 204-208, October, 2012. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Correlation between anxiety, depression, family functioning and quality of life, in palliative care cancer patients
Siddiqua Aamir1*, Nor Zuraida2, Ee Chin Loh3 and Teng Seng Beng3
1Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
2Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.
3Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
*Corresponding author. [email protected]
Received 08 July, 2012; Accepted 23 October, 2012
Abstract
The objective of this work is to determine the correlation between anxiety, depression, family functioning and their association with quality of life in palliative care cancer patients. A cross-sectional comparative study design was used. The study was conducted at the inpatient department of Faculty of Medicine, Department of Palliative Care, University Malaya Medical Center (UMMC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, between August 2009 and August 2010 on the palliative care cancer patients. The sample consisted of 288 palliative care cancer patients selected through non-probability convenient sampling technique. Consecutive patients with advanced cancer under the care of palliative care services were screened. Anxiety, depression, family functioning and quality of life were assessed with hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), family adaptability, partnership, growth, affection, and resolve (APGAR) scale and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC-QLQ-C30) respectively. Data was collected and was analyzed using SPSS VERSION 13. A highly significant negative correlation was found between depression, anxiety and quality of life whereas family functioning and quality of life were positively correlated. In the present study, we detected that anxiety and depression were strongly associated with poor quality of life in palliative care cancer patients. The patients with severe anxiety and depression had dysfunctional family functioning and poor quality of life when compared to those palliative care cancer patients who had low or no anxiety and depression.
Key words: Anxiety, depression, family functioning, quality of life, palliative care, cancer patients.