2016/07/15 by Schelling, Martina, Hass, Holger G., Streitler, Tanja +3
#610 Medical sciences #Medicine
paper · doi:10.3205/ors000027
The aim of this cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was to investigate whether and to what extent fear of cancer progression, depression, age and chemotherapy would predict attention performance in a sample of breast cancer patients. The goal of medical rehabilitation is to restore and sustain employment since this represents a key aspect in terms of regaining a normal life. Fear of cancer progression and depression constitute global problems within oncological patients which, in conjunction with chemotherapy, negatively affect attention performance. Hence, occupational reintegration can potentially be fostered by alleviating fear of cancer progression and depression. Data of 73 breast cancer patients with a mean age of 57 years (SD=8 years), during oncological in-door rehabilitation in the Paracelsus Hospital in Scheidegg, were collected by means of valid and reliable questionnaires. A multiple linear regression analysis with fear of cancer progression, depression, age and chemotherapy (yes/no) as predictors and attention performance as criterion was conducted. The model accounted for 38% of the variance in attention performance. As hypothesised, fear of cancer progression and depression emerged as significant negative predictors of attention performance; age positively, rather than negatively, predicted attention performance. Presence or absence of chemotherapy had no significant effect on attention performance.