Psychological Interventions for Anxiety and Depression in Cancer Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Sheard T, Maguire P
Primary Institution: CAA Bristol Oncology Centre
Hypothesis
Do psychological interventions reduce anxiety and depression in cancer patients?
Conclusion
Preventative psychological interventions may moderately reduce anxiety in cancer patients, but not depression.
Supporting Evidence
- 19 trials showed a combined effect size of 0.42 standard deviations for anxiety.
- 20 trials showed a combined effect size of 0.36 standard deviations for depression.
- Interventions targeted at distressed patients showed stronger effects.
Takeaway
Helping cancer patients with their feelings can make them less anxious, but it doesn't seem to help with feeling sad.
Methodology
Two meta-analyses were conducted on trials of psychological interventions focusing on anxiety and depression in cancer patients.
Potential Biases
Publication bias was noted, particularly for depression trials.
Limitations
Some trials had missing data, and the quality of studies varied.
Participant Demographics
Cancer patients, with some trials targeting those at risk of psychological distress.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.08–0.74 for anxiety, 95% CI 0.06–0.66 for depression
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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