Prevalence of depression and anxiety among patients with breast cancer in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Background & objective: Receiving a cancer diagnosis was often the most challenging part of the entire procedure for many survivors of primary or recurrent breast cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of depression and anxiety among patients with breast cancer in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between November 2024 and February 2025 to examine the prevalence of depression and anxiety among female patients diagnosed with breast cancer, with the use of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).
Results: A total of 137 breast cancer patients were included in the analysis. Anxiety levels were distributed among patients as follows: 46 (33.6%) had mild anxiety, 50 (36.5%) had moderate anxiety, and 41 (29.9%) experienced severe anxiety. Depression severity varied, with 11 (8.0%) reporting mild symptoms, 54 (39.4%) experiencing moderate depression, 42 (30.7%) having moderately severe depression, and 30 (21.9%) suffering from severe depression. The GAD-7 mean score was (12.6 ± 4.9) out of 21, and PHQ-9 mean score was (15.8 ± 5.21) out of 27. Patients who underwent radiotherapy had significantly higher odds of experiencing depression (AOR = 3.27, 95% CI: 1.17-9.10, P = 0.02) and nearly significant association with anxiety (AOR = 3.14, 95% CI: 0.99-10.01, P = 0.05). Additionally, surgery showed a borderline protective association with anxiety (AOR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.08-1.01, P = 0.05).
Conclusion: Depression and anxiety are common psychological illnesses among females with breast cancer. Psychological intervention should be directed towards high-risk patients. Psycholoigcal support programs should be facilitated for these patients in order to improve their clinical outcomes.
Abbreviations: GAD-7: Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7, PHQ-9: Patient Health Questionnaire-9
Keywords: Anxiety; Breast cancer; Depression; Saudi Arabia
Citation: Hafiz LA, Aljifri HM, Abdulaal SM, Siddiqi RT, AlamoudiAK. Prevalence of depression and anxiety among patients with breast cancer in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2025;29(5):268-276. DOI: 10.35975/apic.v29i5.2850
Received: April 17, 2025; Revised: April 22, 2025; Accepted: May 10, 2025
