Prevalence and predictors of depression among oncology patients receiving chemotherapy in government hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia

Introduction: Cancer-patients undergoing chemotherapy experience a high level of depression. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of depression in cancer-patients receiving chemotherapy in government hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia. Methods: This research was started with a cross-sectional study among 1356 patients undergoing chemotherapy in 10 government state hospitals in the Peninsular Malaysia. The data were collected using self-administered questionnaires including socio-demographic characteristics, severity of cancer, depression through Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), social support using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and hopelessness using the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS).The research also con-ducted the descriptive statistics to obtain variable percentages and frequencies. Inferential analysis was also conducted by using chi-square or Fisher’s exact test in determining the relations among variables at the level of significance where p<0.05.Simple logistic regression was applied in determining the crude odd-ratio and variables with p value, where p