Anxiety status and its relationship with general health related quality of life among prostate cancer patients in two university hospitals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anxiety among prostate cancer patients, and to ascertain the association between stress status, socio-demographic, medical and surgical illness, current urinary problem and cancer status with general health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among these patients.

METHODS: A hospital based, cross sectional study was conducted at Surgical Clinic, University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) using universal sampling.

RESULT: A total of 193 patients were recruited. The prevalence of anxiety was 25.4% (95%CI: 19.2 - 31.6). The anxiety ratings were mild anxiety (10.4%), moderate anxiety (13.6%) and severe anxiety (1.6%). The total quality of life among stress group was 59.2 ± 14.7 and among non-stress group was 73.9 ± 12.7. There was a significant negative weak correlation between anxiety score and total quality of life (rs=-0.534, P< 0.001). In multivariable analysis, there was a significant difference in the total quality of life (QOL) among anxiety status [adj. mean diff. = -9.1 (95%CI: -15.2, -4.7)]. The adjusted mean difference was associated by age category of the patients (P< 0.001); living partner (P< 0.001); intermittency (P=0.035) and problem of hematuria during micturition (P=0.005).

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of anxiety among prostate cancer was moderately high. Treating the urination problem as well as encouraging living with spouse/family may improve the quality of life among anxiety condition of these patients.

Written by:
Isa MR, Moy FM, Abdul Razack AH, Md Zainuddin Z, Zainal NZ.   Are you the author?
Population Health & Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Sungai Buloh Campus, Jalan Hospital, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; Julius Centre, Dept. of Social & Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Reference: Iran J Public Health. 2013 Mar 1;42(3):240-8. Print 2013.


PubMed Abstract
PMID: 23641401

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