Anxiety and depression in men with prostate cancer depending on the type of treatment and its relationship with the quality of life and the information received

Abstract

Objective: To know the level of anxiety and depression that patients with prostate cancer have based on sociodemographic variables (age, level of studies, employment status or having a partner) and clinical variables (risk group, type of treatment or survival phase), and how the emotional state can vary depending on the quality of life and the information received. Method: 176 men were randomly selected, between 2015-2016, who had received local, hormonal or combined treatments. An interview was conducted and the BAI, BDI-II, EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ-PR25 and EORTC QLQ-INFO25 questionnaires were administered. Results: BAI and BDI-II inventory scores are low, depression symptoms are higher and appear more frequently. There are no significant differences depending on the sociodemographic variables or clinical variables such as the risk group or the survival phase. However, men who receive hormonal treatments suffer more anxiety and depression than those who receive local treatments. In addition, men who have worse quality of life and / or received worse information have more symptoms of anxiety and depression. Conclusions: In general, our men do not present anxiety or clinical depression. Special care should be given to men who receive hormonal treatments, those who suffer adverse effects from the treatments or have a worse quality of life. And in all cases, it is necessary to improve communication from the moment of diagnosis, among other things, because the properly informed man has a better emotional state.