Effect of age of cancer onset on current depression

A quarter to half of the cancer patients experience subsequent depression which can severely affect their quality of life and the length of survival. Studies have also demonstrated that alcohol consumption increases with depression. However, there are scant data on the effect of age of cancer onset on subsequent depression and alcohol consumption. This research focused on a subgroup of 413 cancer patients (excluding skin-cancer cases) in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2008 sample whose age of onset of cancer was more than 18 years. Results from multiple regression analyses revealed that age of onset of cancer was a predictor of a scale measurement of depression (Beta = -0.22, p < 0.01), number of days one felt anxious over the past 30 days (Beta = -0.16, p <0.01), and number of days a person felt poor mental health over the past 30 days (Beta = -0.21, p < 0.01). The control variables were gender, race, education, family income, and current general health. People who had cancer at a younger age were more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and poor mental health. Age of onset of cancer was also a predictor of the average number of alcoholic drinks consumed per day over the past year (Beta = -0.30, p < 0.01) suggesting higher alcohol consumption among people who had cancer at a younger age. Healthcare professionals should focus attention on assessing and treating depression among younger cancer patients to improve their quality of life and reduce the healthcare costs.