The use of psychodiagnostic techniques for screening for depressive and anxiety disorders in patients with cancer

The aim was to study the prevalence of affective disorders among cancer patients and hospice patients. Object and research methods. The clinical bases for the study were the Common Nonprofit Enterprise of the Kharkiv Regional Council «Regional Center for Palliative Medicine «Hospice», the «Zatyshok» Nursing Home and Kharkiv Regional Clinical Oncology Center. 35 patients (all women) aged 53–92 with cancer were examined. Patients were interviewed using the HADS, FAS, PSQI, and TAS-26 psychodiagnostic questionnaires. Results. The subjects were divided into three groups: patients of the 1st group were in the hospital for 8–14 days, the 2nd — 2–6 months, the 3rd — 1–3 years. It was found that in all groups almost all indicators exceeded the norm. The highest scores prevailed in the 3rd, the average were determined in the 2nd and the lowest — in the 1st group. Conclusions. Patients who were in hospital for a long time needed psychiatrist consultation with the possible use of medication to correct their current mental state.