Depression and its association with family function among patients undergoing Hemodialysis in Southern Philippines Medical Center

Background@#Depression is the most common psychiatric pathology among patients on hemodialysis. The psychosocial characteristics of patients on hemodialysis have not been explored as possible contributory factors to the occurrence of depression. Assessment of family function and utilization of family resources to meet crisis could possibly be correlated with the said psychiatric condition.@*Objective@#This study aimed to assess depression and identification of risk factors including the family functions and utilization of resources would most likely contribute to the management of depression.@*Methodology@#This is a cross-sectional study assessing depression among patients undergoing hemodialysis enrolled at Southern Philippines Medical Center –Mindanao Dialysis Center. Various instruments were used for data collection including Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Family APGAR, and Family SCREEM-RES.@*Results@#Among 135 respondents, 53.33% have no depression, 37.78% mild depression and 8.89% moderate depression. Mean Family APGAR score of patients without depression (9.18 ± 1.43) was significantly higher than those patients with depression (7.83 ± 2.37, p=0.0042). Family resources were adequate for the majority of respondents who have no depression (84.55%). Furthermore, the mean SCREEM-RES score was also significantly higher (14.29 ± 1.97) compared to patients with depression (13.08 ± 2.11, p=0.0460). Multivariate regression analysis showed that those who are in indigenous group, without a caregiver, haemoglobin level < 135g/L, dysfunctional family and inadequate family resources had a higher risk of having a depression. Of these factors, persons belonging to an indigenous group and and those dysfunctional family were found to have 7.9 (95% CI = 1.4186 – 44.3460, p = 0.0184) and 5 (95% CI = 1.0065 – 25.1343, p= 0.0491) times higher risk of depression, respectively@*Conclusion@#Factors significantly associated with depression among patients undergoing hemodialysis in Southern Philippines Medical Center were those who belong to indigenous group and dysfunctional family

Psychosocial factors related to postmastectomy pain syndrome among women with breast cancer: Cross-sectional study

Background@#An insight on the association of psychosocial factors with postmastectomy pain syndrome (PMPS) can help in the holistic management of patients with PMPS. @*Objective@#To determine the proportion of patients with PMPS among those who underwent mastectomy for breast cancer and identify factors associated with the syndrome. @*Design@#Cross-sectional study. @*Setting@#Outpatient Unit in Southern Philippines Medical Center. @*Participants@#45 women who had mastectomy for breast cancer. @*Main outcome measures@#Proportion of patients with PMPS; prevalence odds ratios (POR) of having PMPS for selected factors. @*Main results@#The patients had a mean age of 53.18 ± 8.09 years, mean BMI of 23.57 ± 2.65, and--on average--were 27.09 ± 35.76 months postmastectomy upon entry into the study. Of the 45 patients, 22 (48.89%) had PMPS. Univariate POR of having PMPS were significantly high for patients who: had distant metastasis (POR=5.56; 95% CI 1.27 to 24.29; p=0.0227), experienced premastectomy breast pain (POR=35.70; 95% CI 6.14 to 207.52; p<0.0001), were in late-stage family life cycle (POR=9.18; 95% CI 1.02 to 82.22; p=0.0476), and were in late-stage family illness trajectory (POR=4.96; 95% CI 1.39 to 17.70; p=0.0137). @*Conclusion@#In this study, 48.89% of patients had PMPS. Factors associated with PMPS include: having distant metastases, having premastectomy breast pain, being in late-stage family life cycle, and being in late-stage family illness trajectory.