Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37306933›Full record

ArticleBreast cancer (Tokyo, Japan)2023

Association of psychological distress with arm morbidity symptoms in breast cancer survivors: outcomes from the use of PHQ-9 and GAD-7 questionnaires.

Khairunnisa' Md Yusof, Sherina Mohd Sidik, Rozi Mahmud, Maha Abdullah, Kelly A Avery-Kiejda, Rozita Rosli

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Breast cancer (Tokyo, Japan), 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Observational
  4. Health related quality of life of patients with breast cancer in Malaysia: evidence from EQ-5D-5L and EORTC QLQ-C30.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2026
    Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Khairunnisa' Md YusofDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Sherina Mohd SidikDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Rozi MahmudDepartment of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Maha AbdullahDepartment of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Kelly A Avery-KiejdaSchool of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, College of Medicine, Health and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Sydney, NSW, 2308, Australia.
Rozita RosliDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. rozita@upm.edu.my.
Universiti Putra Malaysia · MYHunter Medical Research Institute · AUUniversity of Newcastle Australia · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAlthough higher survival rates of breast cancer are achieved these days, breast cancer survivors are challenged with unwanted side effects from treatment or management that affect physical, functional, and psychological well-being of an individual. This study aimed to assess psychological distress status in Malaysian breast cancer survivors and factors that affected the condition.

methodsA cross-sectional study design was conducted on 162 breast cancer survivors from various breast cancer support groups in Malaysia. Psychological distress status was assessed based on depression and anxiety scores by applying the Malay version of Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7). Both instruments were self-administered along with a set of questionnaires comprising demographic, medical history, quality of life, and upper extremity function assessment. Outcomes from the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were analyzed for severity level of psychological distress, and its association with relevant variables, arm morbidity symptoms, as well as the duration of cancer survivorship.

resultsThe univariate analysis showed that breast cancer survivors with arm morbidities after breast surgery had a higher score of depression (5.0 vs 4.0, p = 0.011) and anxiety (3.0 vs 1.0, p = 0.026) than those who did not. Besides that, receiving fewer post-rehabilitation treatments (p = 0.049) and having a family history of cancer (p = 0.022) were correlated with higher anxiety level. The level of depression and anxiety was inversely proportionate with quality of life and positively correlated with greater disability of the arm function (p < 0.05). Subsequent analysis showed that arm morbidity symptoms including difficulties in finding a t-shirt that fits and pain in the arm area after breast cancer surgery were positively associated with a higher level of psychological distress.

conclusionOur study demonstrated the association between psychological distress with arm morbidities in breast cancer survivors. Given that arm morbidities can affect not only physical, but psychological well-being, continuous or serial assessment on both aspects during cancer treatment may effectively help to address mental health issue experienced by this cancer population.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsCancer SurvivorsAnxietyArmCross-Sectional StudiesDepressionFemaleHumansMorbidityPatient Health QuestionnaireQuality of LifeStress, PsychologicalSurveys and QuestionnairesAnxietyArm morbidityDepressionLymphedemaPsychological distress

Identifiers

PMID37306933
OpenAlexW4380290536

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.