Prevalence of Depression and Associated Factors Among Patients with Cancer at Public Hospitals in Eastern Ethiopia, 2024

Depression is a major public health problem among cancer patients. One in three people with cancer experience depression or anxiety disorders before, during, or after treatment. Currently, there is little data on the prevalence of depression among cancer patients in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of depression among patients with cancer attending public hospitals in Harar town, eastern Ethiopia. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 342 patients with cancer attending public hospitals in Harar town, eastern Ethiopia, from June 1-30, 2024. A systematic random sampling technique was used to recruit participants. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The collected data was entered into Epi-data 4.6 and imported to the statistical package for Social Science version 25 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify associated factors with depression. The odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assess the strength of the association. The prevalence of depression among patients with cancer was 43.9% (95% CI: 38.6, 49.2). Poor medication adherence (AOR = 3.98, 95% CI: 1.87, 8.51), poor social support (AOR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.21, 3.79), unemployment (AOR = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.05, 5.04) were significantly associated with depression. In the current study, a significant number of patients with cancer had depression. Poor medication adherence, poor social support, and unemployment were significantly associated with depression among patients with cancer. Therefore, special attention should be given to patients with cancer with the mentioned risk factors of depression.