European Journal of Cancer
Volume 39, Issue 6 , Pages 755-762, April 2003

Age-specific norms and determinants of anxiety and depression in 731 women with breast cancer recruited through a population-based cancer registry

  • R.H Osborne

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Genetic Epidemiology, School of Population Health, The University of Melbourne, 723 Swanston St, Carlton 3053, Australia
    • Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Charles Connibere Building, Ground Floor, West Wing Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville 3050, Australia
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +61-3-9342-8561; fax: +61-3-9342-7632
    • ,
  • G.R Elsworth

      Affiliations

    • Collaborative Institute for Research, Consulting and Learning in Evaluation, RMIT University, Australia
    • ,
  • J.L Hopper

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Genetic Epidemiology, School of Population Health, The University of Melbourne, 723 Swanston St, Carlton 3053, Australia

Received 16 November 2001; received in revised form 21 October 2002; accepted 4 December 2002.

Abstract 

The aim of this study was to determine population norms and determinants of anxiety and depression in a population-based sample of 731 women with breast cancer (aged 23–60 years) with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS). The prevalence of ‘probable’ psychological morbidity due to anxiety was 23% and due to depression was 3%. When the women identified as ‘possible’ cases were included, the respective proportions were 45 and 12%. Higher anxiety was present in younger, less educated women not born in Australia. There was no clear pattern of risk factors for depression. These population-based findings highlight the need for clinicians to be aware that age, education and country of birth may identify a particularly vulnerable subgroup. While brief scales such as the HADS are limited in their ability to accurately predict a clinical diagnosis, high scores identify those who may warrant referral for clinical evaluation.

Keywords:  Breast cancer, Anxiety, Depression, Prevalence, Coping, HADS

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PII: S0959-8049(02)00814-6

doi:10.1016/S0959-8049(02)00814-6

European Journal of Cancer
Volume 39, Issue 6 , Pages 755-762, April 2003

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