Anxiety, Depression, Stress and their Relationship with the Quality of Life of Patients with Cancer in The North Region of Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to verify associations between sociodemographic and clinical variables, symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, and their relationship with quality of life in cancer patients. The sample consisted of 202 people seen at an institute for cancer treatment in the city of Porto Velho, Rondônia. As instruments for data collection, a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Quality of Life Scale (EORTC-QLQ C30) were used. In order to explore the existing joint relationships, Multiple Correspondence Analysis (ACM) was performed and to obtain the degree of relationship between the DASS-21 and EORTC-QLQ C30 variables, Spearman's linear correlation was used. The results showed a high prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress in cancer patients. The highest prevalence of these symptoms was associated with uterine cancer, women, two types of treatment and living alone. As for quality of life, it presented greater losses as there was an increase in depressive, anxious and stressful symptoms.