Prevalence of mental disorders and psychosocial distress in German adolescent and young adult cancer patients (AYA)

TY - JOUR

T1 - Prevalence of mental disorders and psychosocial distress in German adolescent and young adult cancer patients (AYA)

AU - Geue, Kristina

AU - Brähler, Elmar

AU - Faller, Hermann

AU - Härter, Martin

AU - Schulz, Holger

AU - Weis, Joachim

AU - Koch, Uwe

AU - Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich

AU - Mehnert, Anja

N1 - Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PY - 2018/7

Y1 - 2018/7

N2 - OBJECTIVE: This study provides prevalence data of mental disorders (4-week, 1-year, lifetime) and psychological distress in Adolescent and Young Adult (AYAs) with cancer.METHODS: We included an AYA subsample (15 to 39 year olds; diagnosed within the last 5 years) extracted from a larger sample (4.020 cancer patients) who had been recruited for an epidemiological study across all major tumor entities. Participants were assessed with a depression screener (PHQ-9). Following that, 50% of the participants who scored below the cutoff of 9 and all patients who scored above were assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview for Oncology (CIDI-O). Patients also completed an anxiety screener (GAD-7).RESULTS: A total of 302 AYA (167 completed CIDI-O) were identified. With regard to psychological distress, 29.5% of the AYA had increased depression symptoms (PHQ-9), and 20.8% had increased anxiety symptoms (GAD-7). Gender and age were associated with psychological distress, with women and older AYA being found to have higher distress. The 4-week prevalence of mental disorders of any kind was 46.7% (95%-CI:39%-55%). Anxiety (24.4%; 95%-CI:20%-36%) and adjustment disorders (14.1%; 95%-CI:9%-19%) had the highest prevalence rates. The lowest prevalence rates were reported for alcohol dependence (0.8%; 95%-CI:0%-2%) and somatoform disorders (3.7%; 95%-CI:1%-7%). The 1-year-prevalence was 55.4% (CI:47.36-62.64), and the lifetime-prevalence was 69.5% (CI: 62.29-77.06).CONCLUSION: Our findings may sensitize clinicians to the possible presence of mental disorders in AYA. The results indicate that there is a strong need for psycho-oncological interventions designed to improve mental health in AYAs with cancer at all stages of medical care.

AB - OBJECTIVE: This study provides prevalence data of mental disorders (4-week, 1-year, lifetime) and psychological distress in Adolescent and Young Adult (AYAs) with cancer.METHODS: We included an AYA subsample (15 to 39 year olds; diagnosed within the last 5 years) extracted from a larger sample (4.020 cancer patients) who had been recruited for an epidemiological study across all major tumor entities. Participants were assessed with a depression screener (PHQ-9). Following that, 50% of the participants who scored below the cutoff of 9 and all patients who scored above were assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview for Oncology (CIDI-O). Patients also completed an anxiety screener (GAD-7).RESULTS: A total of 302 AYA (167 completed CIDI-O) were identified. With regard to psychological distress, 29.5% of the AYA had increased depression symptoms (PHQ-9), and 20.8% had increased anxiety symptoms (GAD-7). Gender and age were associated with psychological distress, with women and older AYA being found to have higher distress. The 4-week prevalence of mental disorders of any kind was 46.7% (95%-CI:39%-55%). Anxiety (24.4%; 95%-CI:20%-36%) and adjustment disorders (14.1%; 95%-CI:9%-19%) had the highest prevalence rates. The lowest prevalence rates were reported for alcohol dependence (0.8%; 95%-CI:0%-2%) and somatoform disorders (3.7%; 95%-CI:1%-7%). The 1-year-prevalence was 55.4% (CI:47.36-62.64), and the lifetime-prevalence was 69.5% (CI: 62.29-77.06).CONCLUSION: Our findings may sensitize clinicians to the possible presence of mental disorders in AYA. The results indicate that there is a strong need for psycho-oncological interventions designed to improve mental health in AYAs with cancer at all stages of medical care.

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.1002/pon.4730

DO - 10.1002/pon.4730

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 29644783

VL - 27

SP - 1802

EP - 1809

JO - PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY

JF - PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY

SN - 1057-9249

IS - 7

ER -