Exploration of depressive symptoms in African American cancer patients

Accurately assessing depression in African American cancer patients is difficult because of the similarities of physical symptoms observed in cancer and depression.

To identify universal and distinctive depressive symptoms in African American cancer patients.

Seventy-four cancer patients (34 depressed and 23 non-depressed African Americans, and 17 depressed Whites) were interviewed. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted.

Compared to non-depressed African Americans, depressed African Americans reported irritability, social isolation, insomnia, fatigue and crying (p ≤ 0.05) more frequently over time. Compared to depressed Whites, they reported sadness, frustration and intrusive thoughts less frequently (p ≤ 0.05), but insomnia and fatigue more frequently (p ≤ 0.05) during cancer treatment. There was little racial difference at the time of interview.

Depressed African American cancer patients may benefit from more culturally sensitive depression measures that consider symptoms of irritability, social isolation and altered expressions of depressive mood.