Depressive symptoms and quality of life in home-care-assisted cancer patients

To examine the prevalence of depressive symptoms and its relationship with quality-of-life domains in home-care cancer patients at an advanced stage of illness, 86 patients were given psychological test for depression (Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale) (HAD) and quality of life (EORTC-QLQ-C30) 1 week after admission to the home-care program. Using a proper cut-off score on the HAD-Depression subscale, depressive symptoms were reported by 45% of the patients. The quality of life of depressed patients was more affected than non-depressed patients in the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical domains. Significant correlations were found between depression scores and impairment in most quality-of-life areas. These findings support the importance of depression and quality-of-life evaluation in patients with advanced cancer who are followed in a home-care setting. This evaluation is needed to provide patients, their families, and caregivers with appropriate psychosocial interventions. (C) U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee, 1996.