Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Illness perception is a strong parameter on anxiety and depression scores in early-stage breast cancer survivors: a single-center cross-sectional study of Turkish patients

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Supportive Care in Cancer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Illness perception has been suggested to have a significant effect on anxiety and depression in cancer patients. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to evaluate this on Turkish breast cancer patients with follow-up periods up to 12 years.

Patients and methods

A total of 225 patients (with 6 months to 12 years follow-up) were recruited in this cross-sectional study. The patients were divided into three groups of follow-up: 6 months–2 years, 2–5 years, and >5 years. Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Duke–University of North Carolina Functional Social Support Questionnaire, and Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire were used to assess the depression, anxiety, functional social support (FSS), and illness perception, respectively. Statistical significance of the associations was analyzed using Spearman correlation, Student’s t, Mann–Whitney U, and ANOVA tests.

Results

Rates of moderate–severe anxiety and depression scores were not correlated with follow-up period and disease stage, whereas all these parameters were associated significantly with FSS and age. Parameters of illness perception were also not correlated with follow-up period and stage of disease. However, illness perception scores were noticeably better with increments in FSS. Also, the parameters of illness perception were strongly associated with the depression/anxiety score.

Conclusion

Illness perception is an important determinant of the depression/anxiety score in Turkish breast cancer patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Fitzmaurice C, Dicker D, Pain A, Hamavid H, Moradi-Lakeh M, MacIntyre MF (2015) The global burden of cancer 2013. Global burden of disease cancer collaboration. JAMA Oncol 1:505–527

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Kohler BA, Sherman RL, Howlader N, Jemal A, Ryerson AB, Henry KA, Boscoe FP, Cronin KA, Lake A, Noone AM, Henley SJ, Eheman CR, Anderson RN, Penberthy L (2015) Annual report to the nation on the status of cancer, 1975-2011, featuring incidence of breast cancer subtypes by race/ethnicity, poverty, and state. J Natl Cancer Inst 107:djv048

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Spiegel D, Riba MB (2015) Managing anxiety and depression during treatment. Breast J 21:97–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Jacob L, Bleicher L, Kostev K, Kalder M (2015) Prevalence of depression, anxiety and their risk factors in German women with breast cancer in general and gynecological practices. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol

  5. Yang YL, Sui GY, Liu GC, Huang DS, Wang SM, Wang L (2014) The effects of psychological interventions on depression and anxiety among Chinese adults with cancer: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. BMC Cancer 14:956

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Somerset W, Stout SC, Miller AH, Musselman D (2004) Breast cancer and depression. Oncology (Huntington) 18:1021–1034

    Google Scholar 

  7. Golden-Kreutz DM, Andersen BL (2004) Depressive symptoms after breast cancer surgery: relationships with global, cancer-related, and life event stress. Psychooncology 13:211–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Schou I, Ekeberg O, Ruland CM, Sandvik L, Kåresen R (2004) Pessimism as a predictor of emotional morbidity one year following breast cancer surgery. Psychooncology 13:309–320

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Stafford L, Judd F, Gibson P, Komiti A, Mann GB, Quinn M (2015 Aug) Anxiety and depression symptoms in the 2 years following diagnosis of breast orgynaecologic cancer: prevalence, course and determinants of outcome. Support Care Cancer 23:2215–2224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Maass SW, Roorda C, Berendsen AJ, Verhaak PF, de Bock GH (2015) The prevalence of long-term symptoms of depression and anxiety after breast cancer treatment: a systematic review. Maturitas 82:100–108

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Aapro M, Cull A (1999) Depression in breast cancer patients: the need for treatment. AnnOncol 10:627636

    Google Scholar 

  12. Wong-Kim EC, Bloom JR (2005) Depression experienced by young women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Psychooncology 14:564–573

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Leedham B, Ganz PA (1999) Psychosocial concerns and quality of life in breast cancer survivors. Cancer Investig 17:342–348

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Gray NM, Hall SJ, Browne S, Johnston M, Lee AJ, Macleod U, MitchellED SL, Campbell NC (2014) Predictors of anxiety and depression in people with colorectal cancer. Support Care Cancer 22:307–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. 2013) British Journal of Health Psychology 18:168–181

  16. Zhang N, Fielding R, Soong I, Chan KK, Tsang J, Lee V, Lee C, Ng A, Sze WK, Tin P, Lam WW (2015) Illness perceptions among cancer survivors. Support Care Cancer

  17. Broadhead WE, Gehlbach SH, de Gruy FV, Kaplan BH (1988) The Duke-UNC functional social support questionnaire. Med Care 26:709–723

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Broadbent E, Petrie KJ, Main J, Weinman J (2006) The brief illness perception questionnaire. JPsychosom Res 60:631–637

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Jadoon NA, Munir W, Shahzad MA, Choudhry ZS (2010) Assessment of depression and anxiety in adult cancer outpatients: a cross-sectional study. BMC Cancer 10:594

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Jacob L, Bleicher L, Kostev K, Kalder M (2015) Prevalence of depression, anxiety and their risk factors in German women with breast cancer in general and gynecological practices. J Cancer Res ClinOncol 16

  21. Charlier C, Pauwels E, Lechner L, Spittaels H, Bourgois J, DE Bourdeaudhuij I, VAN Hoof E (2012) Physical activity levels and supportive care needs for physical activity among breast cancer survivors with different psychosocial profiles: a cluster-analytical approach. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 21:790–799

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Burgess C, Cornelius V, Love S, Graham J, Richards M, Ramirez A (2005) Depression and anxiety in women with early breast cancer: five year observational cohort study. BMJ 330:702

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Kim SH, Son BH, Hwang SY, Han W, Yang JH, Lee S, Yun YH (2008) Fatigue and depression in disease-free breast cancer survivors: prevalence, correlates, and association with quality of life. J Pain Symptom Manag 35:644–655

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Bardwell WA, Natarajan L, Dimsdale JE, Rock CL, Mortimer JE, Hollenbach K, Pierce JP (2006) Objective cancer-related variables are not associated with depressive symptoms in women treated for early-stage breast cancer. J ClinOncol 24:2420–2427

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Mehnert A, Koch U (2008) Psychological comorbidity and health-related quality of life and its association with awareness, utilization, and need for psychosocial support in a cancer register-based sample of long-term breast cancer survivors. J Psychosom Res 64:383–391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Moyer A, Salovey P (1999) Predictors of social support and psychological distress in women with breast cancer. J Health Psychol 4:177–191

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Wang F, Liu J, Liu L, Wang F, Ma Z, Gao D, Zhang Q, Yu Z (2014) The status and correlates of depression and anxiety among breast-cancer survivors in eastern China: a population-based, cross-sectional case-control study. BMC Public Health 14:326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Ploos van Amstel FK, van den Berg SW, van Laarhoven HW, Gielissen MF, Prins JB, Ottevanger PB (2013) Distress screening remains important during follow-up after primary breast cancer treatment. Support Care Cancer 21:2107–2115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Fischer MJ, Wiesenhaan ME, Does-den Heijer A, Kleijn WC, Nortier JW, Kaptein AA (2013) From despair to hope: a longitudinal study of illness perceptions and coping in a psycho-educational group intervention for women with breast cancer. Br J Health Psychol 18:526–545

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. McCorry NK, Dempster M, Quinn J, Hogg A, Newell J, Moore M, Kelly S, Kirk SJ (2013) Illness perception clusters at diagnosis predict psychological distress among women with breast cancer at 6months post diagnosis. Psychooncology 22:692–698

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Gaziantep Oncology Hospital, University of Gaziantep, TR-27310, Gaziantep, Turkey

    Tulay Kus & Gokmen Aktas

  2. Department of Psychological Counseling and Guidance, Near East University, 99138, Nicosia, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

    Hatice Ekici

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Ersin Arslan Training and Research Hospital, TR-27010, Gaziantep, Turkey

    Gulcin Elboga

  4. Department of Psychological Counseling and Guidance, Pro Cancer Research Fund, London, N22 8NQ, UK

    Sabire Djamgoz

Authors
  1. Tulay Kus
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gokmen Aktas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hatice Ekici
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gulcin Elboga
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sabire Djamgoz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tulay Kus.

Ethics declarations

The protocol and informed consent documentation were reviewed and approved by the Independent Ethics Committee of the University and agreed with the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kus, T., Aktas, G., Ekici, H. et al. Illness perception is a strong parameter on anxiety and depression scores in early-stage breast cancer survivors: a single-center cross-sectional study of Turkish patients. Support Care Cancer 25, 3347–3355 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-017-3753-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-017-3753-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation