Breast Cancer and Risk of Depression: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study Among Women With and Without Breast Cancer in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Purpose: The extent of symptoms of depression among patients with breast cancer compared with those without the disease is not well documented in Ethiopia and other sub-Saharan African countries.

Materials and methods: This study examines the prevalence of symptoms of depression in women with breast cancer (n = 436) compared with those without breast cancer (n = 856) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, through a comparative cross-sectional study using a validated questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The association between breast cancer diagnosis and symptoms of depression was evaluated using a multivariable binary logistic regression model.

Results: About 39.2% of women with breast cancer had some level of symptoms of depression compared with 23.8% of women without the disease. By severity of symptoms of depression, 13.1% of women with breast cancer reported moderate to severe symptoms of depression compared with 6.8% of women without the disease. Sixty-three percent of women with breast cancer reported difficulties performing routine daily activities, compared with 36.7% of women without the disease. In the multivariable-adjusted model, women with breast cancer were 2 times (adjusted odds ratio, 2.26 [95% CI, 1.49 to 3.44]) more likely to report symptoms of depression compared with those without the disease. Likewise, women with breast cancer were 4.78 (95% CI, 3.51 to 6.52) times more likely to report difficulty in performing routine daily activities compared with women without the disease.

Conclusion: Four in 10 women with breast cancer in Addis Ababa reported having symptoms of depression, which was considerably higher than women in the general population. This finding emphasizes the importance of addressing psychosocial needs among women with breast cancer to enhance quality of life and potentially extend longevity.