Características de la depresión en pacientes oncológicos adultos entre 40-65 años en SOLCA. Cuenca 2022 – 2023

Abstract

Evidence has shown that depression is more common among patients with chronic and life-threatening diseases, such as cancer, than in healthy populations. The objectives are to determine the characteristics of depression in adult oncology patients aged 40-65 years at SOLCA, Cuenca 2022-2023. This was an analytic, cross-sectional, and observational study that included 362 patients aged 40 to 65 years who were treated at the SOLCA Cancer Institute in Cuenca, Ecuador. A tool was administered to collect sociodemographic data and oncological pathological history. The Beck Depression Inventory was used to assess the severity of depression. The data were presented in descriptive and contingency tables. The study observed a predominance of females (51.1%) and a secondary education level (50.6%). Breast cancer was the most frequent (19.3%). The most common stage of diagnosis was Stage I (34.8%), and chemotherapy was the most used treatment (31.2%). It was found that 26% experienced recurrence. All patients had some degree of depression, with severe depression being the most common (59.1%). Statistically significant associations were identified between depression and factors such as educational status, age, type of cancer, stage of diagnosis, and the presence of recurrence. Factors associated with depression were identified, such as educational status, age, type of cancer, stage of diagnosis, and presence of recurrence, corresponding to studies in other regions.