Characteristics and subtypes of depressive symptoms in Chinese female breast cancer patients of different ages: a cross-sectional study

Yanyan Li; Hong Liu; Yaoyao Sun; Jie Li; Yanhong Chen; Xuan Zhang; Juan Wang; Liuliu Wu; Di Shao; Fenglin Cao; Yanyan Li; Hong Liu; Yaoyao Sun; Jie Li; Yanhong Chen; Xuan Zhang; Juan Wang; Liuliu Wu; Di Shao; Fenglin Cao

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2021055

AIMS Public Health

2021, Volume 8, Issue 4: 691-703. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2021055

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Research article Topical Sections

Characteristics and subtypes of depressive symptoms in Chinese female breast cancer patients of different ages: a cross-sectional study

1.
Department of Nursing Psychology, School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Shandong Province, China
2.
Center for Health Management and Policy Research, Shandong University, Shandong Province, China
3.
Department of Gastroenterology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong Province, China

Received: 11 July 2021 Accepted: 13 October 2021 Published: 20 October 2021

Purpose
To identify the characteristics and subtypes of depressive symptoms and explore the relationship between depressive subtypes and age among Chinese female breast cancer patients.

Method
In this cross-sectional study, 566 breast cancer patients were recruited from three tertiary comprehensive hospital in Shandong Province, China through convenient sampling from April 2013 to June 2019. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Data analyses included descriptive analyses, latent class analysis.

Results
There were significant differences in specific depressive symptoms by age group, but no significant difference in total scores on PHQ-9. The depressive subtypes were severe (Class 4), relatively severe (Class 3; with lower psychomotor agitation/retardation and suicidal ideation), moderate (Class 2; with higher psychomotor agitation/retardation and suicidal ideation), and mild depressive symptoms (Class 1). The distribution of depression subtypes is different in various age groups. In the 45–59 age groups, severe symptoms subtype showed the highest ratios (i.e. 50.3%).

Conclusion
This is the first study that analyses depressive symptom characteristics and identifies depressive subtypes in Chinese women with breast cancer across ages to explore symptom heterogeneity. Our findings can contribute to identifying the mechanisms behind these relationships and developing targeted interventions for patients with specific depressive subtypes.
- breast cancer,
- depressive symptoms,
- latent class analysis,
- heterogeneity,
- China,
- age groups
Citation: Yanyan Li, Hong Liu, Yaoyao Sun, Jie Li, Yanhong Chen, Xuan Zhang, Juan Wang, Liuliu Wu, Di Shao, Fenglin Cao. Characteristics and subtypes of depressive symptoms in Chinese female breast cancer patients of different ages: a cross-sectional study[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2021, 8(4): 691-703. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2021055

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Abstract

Purpose

To identify the characteristics and subtypes of depressive symptoms and explore the relationship between depressive subtypes and age among Chinese female breast cancer patients.

Method

In this cross-sectional study, 566 breast cancer patients were recruited from three tertiary comprehensive hospital in Shandong Province, China through convenient sampling from April 2013 to June 2019. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Data analyses included descriptive analyses, latent class analysis.

Results

There were significant differences in specific depressive symptoms by age group, but no significant difference in total scores on PHQ-9. The depressive subtypes were severe (Class 4), relatively severe (Class 3; with lower psychomotor agitation/retardation and suicidal ideation), moderate (Class 2; with higher psychomotor agitation/retardation and suicidal ideation), and mild depressive symptoms (Class 1). The distribution of depression subtypes is different in various age groups. In the 45–59 age groups, severe symptoms subtype showed the highest ratios (i.e. 50.3%).

Conclusion

This is the first study that analyses depressive symptom characteristics and identifies depressive subtypes in Chinese women with breast cancer across ages to explore symptom heterogeneity. Our findings can contribute to identifying the mechanisms behind these relationships and developing targeted interventions for patients with specific depressive subtypes.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province [Grant Number ZR2017MC070]. We are thankful for the generous contributions of the research participants and the staff who assisted with data collection during the study.

Conflict of interest

All authors declare no conflicts of interest in this paper.

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