N T K Yen1, B Weiss2, L T Trung3. 1. Da Nang Department of Health, 23rd Floor Da Nang Administrative Centre Building, 24 Tran Phu Street, Da Nang, Viet Nam. Electronic address: YenNgoMD@gmail.com. 2. Clinical Sciences Program, Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA. 3. Da Nang Psychiatric Hospital, 193 Nguyen Luong Bang Street, Da Nang, Viet Nam.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Research suggests that rates of depression among general population samples in Asia may be significantly lower than in much of the rest of the world. However, whether this applies to depression among cancer patients is unclear, which is important to determine in order to identify depression treatment needs among cancer patients in this region. The purpose of the present study was to assess caseness rates of serious depression among general cancer patients in the Southeast Asian nation of Viet Nam. METHOD: A total of 695 adult cancer patients from three hospitals in Da Nang, Viet Nam served as study participants. They were assessed at one time point for (a) demographic and (b) cancer characteristics, and (c) depression symptoms. RESULTS: The overall caseness rate for serious depression was 28%. Although rates of depression in general population samples usually are significantly higher in women than men, rates of depression among men and women did not differ significantly among our cancer patients. Higher levels of depressive symptoms were found, however, as a function of lower patient income and education, occupation, cancer stage, and type of cancer, but not marital status or age. CONCLUSIONS: Caseness rates of depression are significantly elevated by a factor of 10-15 among Vietnamese cancer patients relative to general population epidemiological studies in the same region. Although a number of studies have found that rates of depression tend to be lower in Asian as compared to Western general population samples, depression rates among our Vietnamese cancer patients were similar to those reported among Western cancer patients. This suggests that whatever factors are responsible for the relatively low rates of depression observed in Asian general population samples may not be operating in regards to cancer-related depression. Overall, the value of these findings are not only that they provide information for policy makers in Viet Nam to support depression treatment among cancer patients, but also that they suggest that despite the apparent relatively low overall rates of depression it may be useful for cancer and mental health researchers in the region to conduct similar assessments for their policy makers.
OBJECTIVE: Research suggests that rates of depression among general population samples in Asia may be significantly lower than in much of the rest of the world. However, whether this applies to depression among cancerpatients is unclear, which is important to determine in order to identify depression treatment needs among cancerpatients in this region. The purpose of the present study was to assess caseness rates of serious depression among general cancerpatients in the Southeast Asian nation of Viet Nam. METHOD: A total of 695 adult cancerpatients from three hospitals in Da Nang, Viet Nam served as study participants. They were assessed at one time point for (a) demographic and (b) cancer characteristics, and (c) depression symptoms. RESULTS: The overall caseness rate for serious depression was 28%. Although rates of depression in general population samples usually are significantly higher in women than men, rates of depression among men and women did not differ significantly among our cancerpatients. Higher levels of depressive symptoms were found, however, as a function of lower patient income and education, occupation, cancer stage, and type of cancer, but not marital status or age. CONCLUSIONS: Caseness rates of depression are significantly elevated by a factor of 10-15 among Vietnamese cancerpatients relative to general population epidemiological studies in the same region. Although a number of studies have found that rates of depression tend to be lower in Asian as compared to Western general population samples, depression rates among our Vietnamese cancerpatients were similar to those reported among Western cancerpatients. This suggests that whatever factors are responsible for the relatively low rates of depression observed in Asian general population samples may not be operating in regards to cancer-related depression. Overall, the value of these findings are not only that they provide information for policy makers in Viet Nam to support depression treatment among cancerpatients, but also that they suggest that despite the apparent relatively low overall rates of depression it may be useful for cancer and mental health researchers in the region to conduct similar assessments for their policy makers.
Authors: Das Priscilla; Awang Hamidin; M Zain Azhar; Khin Ohnmar Naing Noorjan; M Said Salmiah; Khalid Bahariah Journal: East Asian Arch Psychiatry Date: 2011-09
Authors: A J Ferrari; A J Somerville; A J Baxter; R Norman; S B Patten; T Vos; H A Whiteford Journal: Psychol Med Date: 2012-07-25 Impact factor: 7.723
Authors: A M H Krebber; L M Buffart; G Kleijn; I C Riepma; R de Bree; C R Leemans; A Becker; J Brug; A van Straten; P Cuijpers; I M Verdonck-de Leeuw Journal: Psychooncology Date: 2013-09-16 Impact factor: 3.894