Nasilenie zaburzeń depresyjnych wśród pacjentów onkologicznych
Depression intensification in oncological patients

Summary/Abstract: Introduction. The article describes assessment of depression occurrence in cancer patients in relation to the received social support and patients’ lifestyle. Material and methods. The research group consisted of 63 oncological patients. A diagnostic poll was used as a survey technique. The occurrence and intensity level of depression symptoms were measured following the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), which was accompanied by the author’s questionnaire analyzing the family situation of the surveyed, as well as the received support and their lifestyle. Results. The analysis conducted with the help of the BDI questionnaire presented the following results: more than half of the surveyed (54%) suffered from moderate depression and roughly 1/10 of the respondents suffered from severe depression. Only 1/3 of the surveyed showed no signs of depression and complained only about low mood. Conclusions. The severity of depressive symptoms was associated with the experience of unpleasant emotions, pessimistic vision of the future, difficulties in consultation with relatives on an emotional level. Very few of the respondents consulted psychologists and psychiatrists. Because cancer and depression often coincide, oncological patients should be taken under holistic care which would tend to their emotional situation.

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