Korean J Psychosom Med.  2021 Dec;29(2):121-127. 10.22722/KJPM.2021.29.2.121.

The Association Between Cancer and Network Structure of Depressive Symptoms

• Hwang H
• Lee KK
• Lee SB
• Lee JJ
• Kim KM
• Kim D

• KMID: 2524472
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22722/KJPM.2021.29.2.121

Abstract

Objectives
：The characteristics of depressive symptoms in patients with cancer is different from those in control group. However, few research has focused on the association between depressive symptoms in cancer patients. The aim of this study was to compare the network structure of depressive symptoms between patients with cancer and normal control.
Methods
：This study was based on cohort data from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2016-2018. The Patient health Quetionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to assess depressive symptoms in 599 patients with cancer and 599 age-sex matched controls. We estimated network structure of depressive symptom using Isingfit model.
Results
：There was no significant difference of each PHQ-9 item score. There were strong associations be-tween symptoms were concentration problem-psychomotor activity, anhedonia-depressed mood, and depressed mood-suicidal ideation in both groups. Strength centrality of worthlessness was significantly higher in patients with cancer.
Conclusions
：These results suggest that worthless is associated with other depressive symptoms more tightly in patients with cancer. Worthless can serve as important treatment targets for intervention of depression in patients with cancer.

Keyword

Cancer; Depression; Network analysis; Centrality