Illness perceptions of people with long-term conditions are associated with frequent use of the emergency department independent of mental illness and somatic symptom burden.

Objective: To determine whether illness perceptions of patients with long-term conditions (LTCs) are associated with urgent healthcare use and whether this association is independent from mental illness and somatic symptom burden.

Methods: Illness perceptions (B-IPQ) and somatic symptom severity (PHQ-15) were assessed in 304 patients with diabetes, rheumatological disorders and COPD attending an Accident and Emergency Department (AED) in Greece over a one year period. The presence of mental illness was determined by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview.

Lower PHQ-9 cutpoint accurately diagnosed depression in people with long-term conditions attending the Accident and Emergency Department.

Background: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is frequent in the Accident and Emergency Department (AED) but is often unrecognized. We aimed to assess the prevalence of MDD and determine the psychometric properties of the PHQ-9 in diagnosing MDD in patients with long-term medical conditions attending an AED.

Methods: The PHQ-9 was administered to 349 patients with diabetes, COPD and chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases, mainly rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthropathies, visiting an AED.

Validity of the Greek version of the PHQ 15-item Somatic Symptom Severity Scale in patients with chronic medical conditions and correlations with emergency department use and illness perceptions.

Background: The PHQ-15 is a brief measure assessing the severity of somatic symptoms and is widely used in different health care settings. We aimed to assess the psychometric properties of its Greek version in patients with chronic physical illnesses seeking urgent or unscheduled care in the Accident and Emergency Department (AED).

Methods: The PHQ-15 was translated into Greek using back-translation, and it was administered to 303 patients with diabetes, COPD and rheumatic diseases visiting our AED during a one-year period.

Anxiety, depression and defense mechanisms associated with treatment decisional preferences and quality of life in non-metastatic breast cancer: a 1-year prospective study.

Objective: Treatment decisional preferences impact breast cancer patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and may relate to psychological variables, although many aspects of this relationship remain unknown. This prospective study aimed to assess psychological correlates of treatment decisional preferences and predictors of HRQoL in women with early non-metastatic breast cancer.

Methods: Of the 124 women initially assessed for anxiety (Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and depressive (Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D)) symptoms, HRQoL (WHOQOL-BREF), and defense mechanisms (Life Style Index), 82 (66.

Personality variables as predictors of early non-metastatic colorectal cancer patients' psychological distress and health-related quality of life: a one-year prospective study.

Objective: We aimed to assess the course of early non-metastatic colorectal cancer patients' psychological distress and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and to identify relevant clinical and psychological predictors during a one-year period.

Methods: Of the 144 early non-metastatic colorectal cancer patients initially assessed for psychological distress symptoms (SCL-90-R), HRQOL (WHOQOL-BREF), sense of coherence (SOC), defense mechanisms (LSI) and hostility (HDHQ), 84 (58.3%) completed the one-year follow-up.

Decision-making preferences and information needs among Greek breast cancer patients.

Objectives: We aimed at assessing Greek breast cancer patients' preferences for participation in treatment decision making and their information needs.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 329 breast cancer patients were administered at the Control Preferences Scale, a card-sort measurement designed to elicit preferences for participation in decision making. Information needs were assessed with Cassileth's Information Styles Questionnaire.

Narcissistic rage: The Achilles' heel of the patient with chronic physical illness.

Based on the psychoanalytic reading of Homer's Iliad whose principal theme is "Achilles' rage" (the semi-mortal hero invulnerable in all of his body except for his heel, hence "Achilles' heel" has come to mean a person's principal weakness), we aimed to assess whether "narcissistic rage" has an impact on several psychosocial variables in patients with severe physical illness across time. In 878 patients with cancer, rheumatological diseases, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and glaucoma, we assessed psychological distress (SCL-90 and GHQ-28), quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF), interpersonal difficulties (IIP-40), hostility (HDHQ), and defense styles (DSQ). Narcissistic rage comprised DSQ "omnipotence" and HDHQ "extraverted hostility".

Somatization is associated with physical health-related quality of life independent of anxiety and depression in cancer, glaucoma and rheumatological disorders.

Purpose: To test the relative importance of anxiety, depression and somatization as correlates of physical health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in several chronic physical disorders.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study of patients with colorectal cancer (N = 162), glaucoma (N = 100), rheumatoid arthritis (N = 168), systemic sclerosis (N = 56) and systemic lupus erythematosus (N = 56), we assessed specific disease severity and used the Symptom Distress Checklist (SCL-90) for psychologic dimensions. Outcome was assessed with the WHO Quality of Life Instrument, Short Form using hierarchical regression to determine independent correlates of HRQOL.

Personality variables are associated with colorectal cancer patients' quality of life independent of psychological distress and disease severity.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to test whether psychological distress and personality variables are independently associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in colorectal cancer patients, after adjusting for age, gender, education and disease severity.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study of 162 colorectal cancer patients (response rate 65.6%), the following self-report instruments were administered: the Symptom Distress Checklist-90-R, the Sense of Coherence scale, the Life Style Index and the Hostility and Direction of Hostility Questionnaire.