An Original Research about: The Associations of Depression and Fatigue with Quality of Life among Palestinian Patients with Cancer

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the relationships between depression, fatigue and QoL among patients diagnosed with cancer in the West Bank.Method: This was a descriptive, correlational study. 172 patients with lung, breast, colon, prostate and stomach cancer participated in the study. Depression, fatigue and quality of life were assessed for patients who undergoing chemotherapy. All instruments were reliable and valid. Results:The mean score for depression was 22 (SD=8). This indicated that many patients in this study experienced depression. The participants had moderate fatigue 51 (SD=39). The same results were found in quality of life dimensions, as the mean score for functional scales and global health status ranged from 50 to 73 and for symptom scales ranged from 27 to 45. Regarding the correlation, the results showed that there were significant correlation between depression and fatigue and all quality of life dimensions (all p<0.05). Conclusion:Depression and fatigue were significantly correlated with QoL. The impact of depression should be taken into consideration by health care workers when designing or planning interventions to improve QoL for patients with cancer through accurate and early assessment. The moderate fatigue that patients with cancer experienced by the disease or by the treatment should also be taken into account. Each one of the key variables negatively affects QoL in separate. The occurrence of them simultaneously may increase the worse effect on QoL for patients with cancer. Based on that, depression and fatigue should be assessed for each patient with cancer.

“Al-Khabith”—The malignant cunning disease: Sociocultural complexity and social representations of cancer in the occupied Palestinian territory

“…Such attitudes may contribute and reinforce self-pity, self-stigma (Fominaya et al, 2016), and generate negative emotions like shame and guilt. In the same line, Deridi, Asmar, and Al-Rjou (2016) found that a significant proportion of Palestinian cancer patients from the West Bank suffered from moderate to severe depression. Female cancer patients reported higher level of depression, difficulties in social functioning (e.g.…”

“…Female cancer patients reported higher level of depression, difficulties in social functioning (e.g. changes in roles, work, social activities, relationship with partners and family, and lower quality of life compared to male cancer patients (Deridi et al., 2016). Fortunately, caregiving represents a cultural virtue in Palestinian culture based on reciprocal caregiving and a caring religion that strengthens and empowers cancer patients (Albarghouthi, 2017).…”

Rehabilitation interventions for depression symptoms among cancer patients in Palestine: Literature review study.

“…Furthermore cross-sectional study conducted at Beit Jala Governmental Hospital in Bethlehem and Augusta Victoria private Hospital in Jerusalem found that sons of mothers with late-stage cancer, daughters of mothers with palliative and other treatments (those who had been treated for 3-6 months), and husbands whose wives had radiotherapy treatment (especially those who lived in a village) had higher depression scores. Because of the predicted death anxiety of the sons, when coping, education of the mothers is an available intervention, and depression evaluation among family members is needed, with therapy recommended (Dreidi, Asmar, & Rjoub, 2017).…”

“…(Mhaidat et al, 2009) and Saudi Arabia (Almostadi, 2012). Secondly patient and family education (Dreidi et al, 2017) similarly found in the international study of (Li et al, 2016;Sui et al, 2020), thirdly the use of palliative care services for depression treatment (Elessi, 2018) supported by (Li et al, 2016;Piil et al, 2015;Sui et al, 2020). But in Palestine was no palliative care service available for cancer patients or their families, absence of organizations strategic planning for palliative care, no presence of educational resources for palliative care, no presence of communication or consultation to the religious man, absence of bereavement support group, no active follow up for the patient and the family, no standards for palliative care service or training programs in palliative care, no home care service for palliative care, absence of community awareness for palliative care And Absence of national standard for palliative care (Shawawra & Khleif, 2011).…”

“…As well as the presence of a permanent after abdominoperineal excision of the rectum for rectal cancer patients ] ]caused harm to patients QoL including depression in southern Europe as well as for patients of Arabic (Islamic) countries, besides religious and cultural factors as social isolation (Holzer et al, 2005). Similarly in Jeddah-Saudi Arabia and Tunis, the religious coping practice reduced depression in cancer patients (Almostadi, 2012; (Mhaidat et al, 2009), psychosocial support services (Almasri & Rimawi, 2020), palliative care, and a holistic approach of care for cancer patients (Elessi, 2018) additionally cancer patient's family need assessment and management of depression symptoms that affect positively in the mental health of the sick individual (Dweib, 2019), similarly the group discussion for child's mother to re ect on their life stories that lead to support her child (Abdelaziz & Mona, 2017), family and patients education regarding depression to express their feeling to improve their QoL (Dreidi et al, 2017), on the other hand the pharmacological interventions used for control cancer patients discomfort symptoms as pain control medications (Elessi, 2018) to decrease depressive symptoms, decrease cancer burden and improve the QoL Limitations At rst, we were searched about depression rehabilitation among cancer patients, and no enough literature was founded regarding the concept of mental health rehabilitation, which leads us to search about related depression treatments and interventions among cancer patients to connect them in rehabilitation concept to the available resources in Palestine, also to the Arabic and an Islamic, and international strategies that used for depression recovery in the cancer patient, to recommend the applicable international strategies to the local area.…”