Skip to main content

Table 3 Effects of psychological interventions on depression and anxiety in adult with cancer: subgroup analyses

From: The effects of psychological interventions on depression and anxiety among Chinese adults with cancer: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies

Subgroup

No. of studies

No. of subjects

SMD

95% CI

Q

I2(%)

Pa

Depression

       

Caner typeb

      

<0.001

Mixed cancer

60

6506

1.113

0.966-1.260

440.61***

86.6

 

Lung cancer

8

592

1.481

0.811-2.151

90.26***

92.2

 

Head/neck cancer

8

734

1.403

1.150-1.167

16.50*

57.6

 

Gynecological cancer

19

1592

1.268

1.015-1.520

94.81***

81.0

 

Breast cancer

15

1114

1.106

0.830-1.382

63.82***

78.1

 

Digestive tract cancer

9

851

1.283

0.928-1.638

40.26***

80.1

 

Cancer stage

      

0.502

Advanced

21

1810

1.220

0.927-1.513

160.64***

87.5

 

Early

8

596

1.401

0.821-1.980

70.28***

90.0

 

Patients’ selection

      

0.004

Nonselective

103

10310

1.170

1.058-1.282

693.41***

85.3

 

Selective

19

1261

1.368

1.095-1.642

85.42***

78.9

 

Intervention format

      

0.202

Individual

25

2103

1.256

1.015-1.497

151.98***

84.2

 

Other formats

79

7811

1.167

1.043-1.291

490.91***

84.1

 

Appropriate randomization

      

0.923

No

19

1788

1.161

0.920-1.401

98.77***

81.8

 

Yes

27

2572

1.145

0.990-1.300

152.60***

83.0

 

Questionnaires

      

1.000

SDS

104

10134

1.189

1.080-1.298

646.84***

84.1

 

HAMD

15

1104

1.442

1.050-1.834

114.76***

87.8

 

Timing of assessmentc

      

0.113

≤1 week

8

759

1.180

0.698-1.662

63.77***

89.0

 

2 weeks-4 weeks

22

2599

1.150

0.934-1.366

134.10***

84.3

 

6 weeks-8 weeks

19

1644

1.226

0.940-1.512

124.72***

85.6

 

>8 weeks

9

765

1.323

0.922-1.724

49.61***

83.9

 

Anxiety

       

Caner typeb

      

0.020

Mixed cancer

58

6563

1.242

1.075-1.409

538.86***

89.4

 

Lung cancer

9

676

1.588

0.994-2.182

90.75***

91.2

 

Head/neck cancer

7

645

1.468

0.943-1.992

51.74***

88.4

 

Gynecological cancer

22

1740

1.385

1.139-1.630

110.22***

80.9

 

Breast cancer

20

1622

1.153

0.857-1.448

141.59***

86.6

 

Digestive tract cancer

11

1020

1.371

1.024-1.718

58.7***

83.0

 

Cancer stage

      

0.777

Advanced

22

2175

1.178

0.923-1.434

154.64***

86.4

 

Early

7

512

1.271

0.687-1.855

54.27***

88.9

 

Patients’ selection

      

0.114

Nonselective

111

11241

1.322

1.201-1.444

932.67***

88.2

 

Selective

20

1327

1.152

0.906-1.399

81.57***

76.7

 

Intervention format

      

<0.001

Individual

28

2287

1.575

1.266-1.884

277.89***

90.3

 

Other formats

81

8285

1.161

1.045-1.276

464.52***

82.8

 

Appropriate randomization

      

0.458

No

21

2018

1.245

0.955-1.535

172.30***

88.4

 

Yes

26

2508

1.383

1.140-1.627

187.05***

86.6

 

Questionnaires

      

<0.001

SAS

113

10918

1.276

1.163-1.390

810.72***

86.2

 

HAMA

9

624

1.295

0.856-1.733

48.06***

83.4

 

STAI

4

546

1.800

0.717-2.884

83.95***

96.4

 

SAI

4

420

1.639

0.916-2.362

30.86***

90.3

 

Timing of assessmentc

      

0.246

≤1 week

10

1211

1.224

0.881-1.566

64.58***

86.1

 

2 weeks-4 weeks

24

2519

1.207

0.986-1.427

145.26***

84.2

 

6 weeks-8 weeks

14

1294

1.283

0.920-1.646

114.14***

88.6

 

>8 weeks

8

658

1.021

0.801-1.241

12.10

42.2

 
  1. Abbreviations: SDS Self-rating Depression Scale, SAS Self-rating Anxiety Scale, HAMD Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, HAMA Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, STAI State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, SAI State Anxiety Inventory.
  2. *p < 0.05.
  3. ***p < 0.001.
  4. aP of comparison between these subgroups [30], which is akin to analysis of variance. We partition the total variance into variance within groups and variance between groups, and then test these various components of variance for statistical significance, with the last (variance between groups) addressing the hypothesis that effect size differs as function of group membership.
  5. bDue to a few of studies (the number is less than or equal to 2) separately reporting the effect size for depression and anxiety in patients with urinary cancer, bone metastatic cancer, and blood cancer, the subgroup comparison of depression and anxiety in these cancer types were not included.
  6. cTiming of assessment was aimed at the specified time range (e.g., days, weeks, months and years) post-treatment(e.g., surgery and chemotherapy) or post-intervention.
Back to article page

BMC Cancer

ISSN: 1471-2407

Contact us