Factors Associated with Depression in African American Patients Being Treated for Cancer Pain.
Youjeong Kang, Salimah H Meghani, Deborah W Bruner and 1 others
PMID 32513560WHAT IT FOUND
Anxiety, pain interfering with mood, and no religious congregation membership were linked to likely depressive symptoms in African American patients treated for cancer pain.
Pain severity alone did not distinguish the groups.
Key findings
0138% of participants had PHQ-8 scores of 10 or higher, a score indicative of depressive symptoms.
02In the adjusted model, each 1-point increase in anxiety score was associated with 1.90 times higher odds of depressive symptoms, and each 1-point increase in pain interfering with mood was associated with 1.49 times higher odds.
03Patients who did not belong to a religious congregation had 7.27 times greater odds of depressive symptoms than those who did.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was a convenience sample from one metropolitan area, so the findings may not apply to other regions or populations. The analysis used baseline data only, so it shows associations at one time point and cannot show that anxiety, pain interference, or religious involvement caused depression. Depressive symptoms were identified by PHQ-8 score, not by a mental health provider interview, which is the standard for diagnosing depression. The study did not assess antidepressant dose, duration, or effectiveness, so medication effects on symptoms could not be fully considered. Participants were African American adults already prescribed an extended-release opioid for cancer pain, so results may not apply to patients not receiving opioids or to other racial groups.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest relevant to the work. The parent study was supported by an NIH/NINR grant.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that belonging to a religious congregation prevents or treats depression. The study observed associations at one time point in a convenience sample and did not test whether church involvement changed depressive symptoms.