Background: Patients with advanced illness often experience psycological distress. Depression and anxiety are common in palliative care. Material and methods: Palliative cancer patients were evaluated, regarding anxiety and depression using Hospital Anxiety And Depression Scale (HADS) and regarding illness understanding, using Item 4 of Needs Near the End of Life Screening Tool (NEST 13).
Results: Regarding anxiety: 40.91 % female and 25.71 % male are abnormal case. Regarding depression: 31.82 % female and 11.43 % male are abnormal case. Discussions: Anxiety is more frequent than depression, and females are more affected than males.
Conclusions: The association between somatic symptoms and depressed mood supports a holystic approach that integrates physical and psychological symptom control.
Correspondence address:
Mihaela Popescu, MD
Clinical Hospital “Colentina”, Æoseaua Ætefan cel Mare 19-21, district 2, Bucharest, Romania
e-mail: 73mihaela.popescu@gmail.com
