Analysis of the levels of psychological distress and its influence factors in patients with lung cancer

Abstract

Objective To understand the levels of psychological distress in patients with lung cancer, and analyze the reason and influential factors. Methods The general information of the patients and the distress thermometer (DT)were used to carry out the cross-sectional study in 117 patients with lung cancer received treatments from September 2013 to January 2014. Results The score of psychological distress in patients with lung cancer was (3.10±1.70) points, and 56 patients (47.9%)had the significant psychological distress (DT score≥4 points). The main cause of lung cancer psychological distress ranking in the top 10, in turn, was fear, pain, fatigue, sleep problems, fear, tension, economic problems, eating, breathing, constipation. Mutiple linear regression analysis showed that the number of chemotherapy, age, vocation could affect the total score of distress. Conclusions The patients with lung cancer have obvious psychological distress. Emotional and physical problems of the patients are the main reason of psychological distress of patients with lung cancer.The number of chemotherapy, age, vocation of the patients are related to the psychological distress of patients with lung cancer. Key words: Lung neoplasms; Psychological distress; Distress thermometer