Depressive Symptoms and Sleep Duration as Risk Factors for Breast Cancer — China, 2020

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS TOPIC? Psychological and lifestyle factors are known to potentially play a significant role in the development of breast cancer. However, current evidence-based studies present controversial findings on the associations between depression, sleep duration, and breast cancer risk. WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT? This study investigated the potential risk factors of depressive symptoms and short sleep duration for breast cancer within the Breast Cancer Cohort Study in Chinese Women. The findings revealed that women experiencing depressive symptoms and short sleep duration exhibited a heightened risk of developing breast cancer, particularly among the older population. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE? Public policy ought to prioritize early health education interventions targeting psychological factors in order to facilitate the prevention of breast cancer.