Anxiety Status and its Relationship with General Health Related Quality of Life among Prostate Cancer Patients in Two University Hospitals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anxiety among prostate cancer patients, and to ascertain the association between stress status, socio-demographic, medical and surgical illness, current urinary problem and cancer status with general health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among these patients. METHODS: A hospital based, cross sectional study was conducted at Surgical Clinic, University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) using universal sampling. RESULT: A total of 193 patients were recruited. The prevalence of anxiety was 25.4% (95%CI: 19.2 – 31.6). The anxiety ratings were mild anxiety (10.4%), moderate anxiety (13.6%) and severe anxiety (1.6%). The total quality of life among stress group was 59.2 ± 14.7 and among non-stress group was 73.9 ± 12.7. There was a significant negative weak correlation between anxiety score and total quality of life (r(s)=−0.534, P<0.001). In multivariable analysis, there was a significant difference in the total quality of life (QOL) among anxiety status [adj. mean diff. = −9.1 (95%CI: −15.2, −4.7)]. The adjusted mean difference was associated by age category of the patients (P<0.001); living partner (P<0.001); intermittency (P=0.035) and problem of hematuria during micturition (P=0.005). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of anxiety among prostate cancer was moderately high. Treating the urination problem as well as encouraging living with spouse/family may improve the quality of life among anxiety condition of these patients.