Qatar study highlights importance of mental healthcare for cancer patients

A Qatar study has highlighted the importance of care for mental health issues to enhance the effectiveness of cancer treatment. The research titled ‘The prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms and their associated factors among patients with cancer in Qatar’, was published on Qatar Medical Journal.

The study found that a significant proportion of cancer patients suffered from depression. The objective was to to investigate the frequency of depression and anxiety among cancer patients in Qatar. The exercise, conducted by a group of researchers from Hamad Medical Corporation and Qatar University highlighted depression and anxiety as one of the biggest health issues that cancer patients in Qatar face. The researchers point out that depression or anxiety has a significant impact on their quality of life and treatment outcomes. Therefore, mental health treatment is a prerequisite for such patients. The study was a cross-sectional design using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)and Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 ( GAD-7) scales. A total of 500 cancer patients were surveyed from the National Center for Cancer Care and Research.

Approximately one-third of cancer patients suffer from mental disorders, the most common being depression. Failure to address these mental health issues can result in serious consequences such as lower treatment adherence, lower chances of survival, higher healthcare costs, and worsening of the patient’s overall quality of life.

Qatar National Cancer Registry data shows a clear picture of cancer prevalence in Qatar, with an increase of approximately 1,500 new cancer diagnoses per year. This number is likely to increase due to various lifestyle factors, such as increased life expectancy and an ageing population.

The study found that a significant proportion of cancer patients suffered from depression, with an average PHQ-9 score indicating mild levels of severity.

“Depression was commonly categorised as mild, with a smaller percentage experiencing moderate, moderate-to-severe, or severe depression.

Additionally, patients were predominantly anxious, as reflected by an average GAD-7 score, with most patients experiencing mild to moderate symptoms, while a few experienced moderate or severe anxiety,” the study highlighted. These findings reveal the significant prevalence of both depression and anxiety among cancer patients, pointing to the importance of comprehensive mental health support.

Moreover, patients with advanced-stage cancer, those in their 40s and 60s, those undergoing radiotherapy or hormone therapy, and female patients were found to be more susceptible to depression and anxiety.

The study points out that effective handling of mental health issues is essential to enhancing the effectiveness of cancer treatment. According to the researchers, cancer patients can have a higher quality of life and better adherence to cancer treatments when mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety are identified and treated early.

Furthermore, most patients reported having depression and anxiety, according to the study, that these conditions were more common in Qatar. Several demographic groups have been linked to higher rates of depression and anxiety, including women, middle-aged adults, people with stage IV cancer, and patients receiving therapies such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy.