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Porcine As a Training Module for Head and Neck Microvascular Reconstruction
Published on: September 29, 2018
Smoking, drinking, and depression: comorbidity in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy
Kristen McCarter1, Amanda L Baker1, Benjamin Britton1
1School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, PO BOX 833, Newcastle, New South Wales, 2300, Australia.
Abstract:
We aimed to determine the prevalence and co-occurrence of tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and depressive symptoms among a sample of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing radiotherapy. A total of 307 HNC patients participated in a multi-site stepped-wedge randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the effectiveness of a dietitian-delivered health behavior intervention in patients with HNC undergoing radiotherapy. During week one of radiotherapy patients completed measures of smoking, alcohol consumption, and level of depression. Approximately one-fifth (21%) of patients had two or more co-occurring problems: current smoking, hazardous alcohol use, and/or likely presence of a major depressive episode (MDE). Approximately one-third (34%) of the sample were current smokers, one-third (31%) were drinking hazardously and almost one-fifth (19%) had likely cases of depression. Comorbidity of smoking, hazardous alcohol use, and MDE is high in HNC patients, and interventions need to address this cluster of cancer risk factors.
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