Psychiatric morbidity in outpatients of gynecological oncology clinic in a tertiary care hospital

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric morbidity in gynecological oncology patients is relatively less studied. AIMS: This cross-sectional observational study was undertaken to assess the common psychiatric disorders in women who consult the gynecological oncology outpatients’ department. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We assessed a total of 101 outpatients who were recruited by convenience method of sampling. The main outcome measures were PRIME-MD PHQ diagnoses, gynecological and sociodemographic profiles. RESULTS: Psychiatric disorders as detected by PRIME –MD PHQ were diagnosed in 44% of the patients. Mood disorders were most common. Major depression was present in 25.7% of patients. Anxiety disorders were diagnosed in 16.8% of the patients. Among 44 patients with a psychiatric diagnosis only one patient was on psychiatric treatment. Major depression was much more common (34.4%) in cancer patients than in women with benign conditions (16.6%). CONCLUSION: The findings of our study reveal a high rate of psychiatric morbidity in the gynecological oncology outpatients.