Head and neck cancer survivors with dysphagia prone to anxiety, depression
Source: www.oncologynurseadvisor.com Author: Jennifer Larson Symptoms of anxiety and depression are increased in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) who experience symptoms of dysphagia, according to researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). These findings were published in Oncology Nursing Forum. For this cross-sectional analysis, 228 survivors of head and neck cancer were recruited between October 2018 and January 2020. Participants completed questionnaires that assessed for outcomes such as swallowing dysfunction and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Patient-reported symptoms of dysphagia were measured with the 10-item Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10), which assessed issues such as difficulties with consistencies, food sticking, coughing, and swallowing-related weight loss. Participants also completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) to assess for recent symptoms of anxiety and the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) to assess for recent symptoms of depression. Patients who self-reported symptoms of dysphagia were also more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression. Overall, 23% of the participants reported symptoms of anxiety and 29% reported symptoms of depression. “When comparing anxiety and depression levels in survivors who reported symptoms of dysphagia versus those who did not, statistical analysis showed a substantial positive correlation between increased swallowing dysfunction and more severe symptoms of anxiety and depression,” the researchers reported. The study was limited by its cross-sectional nature, and a causal association between patient-reported symptoms of dysphagia and psychological distress cannot be inferred by these data. Self-report questionnaires are intended to screen for certain symptoms, not diagnose [...]