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Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Porcine As a Training Module for Head and Neck Microvascular Reconstruction
Published on: September 29, 2018
Depressive symptoms, social anxiety, and perceived neck function in patients with head and neck cancer
Bethany Andrews Rhoten1,2, Barbara A Murphy1,2, Mary S Dietrich1,2
1Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, Tennessee.
Background:
This study examined the relationships of depressive symptoms and social anxiety with perceived neck function in patients treated for head and neck cancer.
Methods:
Depressive symptoms, social anxiety, and perceived neck-related function were measured at baseline, posttreatment, every 6 weeks thereafter for 1 year after the end of treatment, and at 15 and 18 months posttreatment. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to generate clusters of patients with similar baseline and trajectories of perceived neck-related function after head and neck cancer treatment.
Results:
Participants included 83 subjects who had completed at least 1 follow-up assessment. Three clusters of longitudinal patterns in neck disability were identified: none/mild, moderate, and severe. Significant associations were found between membership in the neck disability index trajectories and membership in the longitudinal patterns of depressive symptoms and social anxiety.
Conclusion:
Impaired physical function and psychological distress are intertwined for patients with head and neck cancer long after completing treatment.
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