Smoking, drinking, and depression: comorbidity in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy
Abstract We aimed to determine the prevalence and co‐occurrence of tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and depressive symptoms among a sample of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing radiotherapy. A total of 307 HNC patients participated in a multi‐site stepped‐wedge randomized controlled...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2018-06-01
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| Series: | Cancer Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.1497 |
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| Summary: | Abstract We aimed to determine the prevalence and co‐occurrence of tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and depressive symptoms among a sample of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing radiotherapy. A total of 307 HNC patients participated in a multi‐site stepped‐wedge randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the effectiveness of a dietitian‐delivered health behavior intervention in patients with HNC undergoing radiotherapy. During week one of radiotherapy patients completed measures of smoking, alcohol consumption, and level of depression. Approximately one‐fifth (21%) of patients had two or more co‐occurring problems: current smoking, hazardous alcohol use, and/or likely presence of a major depressive episode (MDE). Approximately one‐third (34%) of the sample were current smokers, one‐third (31%) were drinking hazardously and almost one‐fifth (19%) had likely cases of depression. Comorbidity of smoking, hazardous alcohol use, and MDE is high in HNC patients, and interventions need to address this cluster of cancer risk factors. |
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| ISSN: | 2045-7634 |