Characterizing anxiety in melanoma patients.

Background: Over half of melanoma patients experience significantly elevated anxiety levels leading to psychological distress and delays in diagnosis and treatment.

Objective: To identify melanoma patients likely to experience high levels of anxiety, we characterize the contributing factors and coping strategies and investigated potential anxiety-alleviating interventions.

Method: Surveys were sent to 94 melanoma patients at Women's College Hospital's Pigmented Lesion Clinic assessing self-reported anxiety, contributing factors, coping strategies, and potential assisting services.

Results: Risk factors for anxiety include female gender (p=0.002) and increasing age (p=0.004) but not melanoma depth. Major factors contributing to anxiety are prognosis, fear of death, and the attitude of the diagnosing doctor. Major coping strategies include family support, doctor assistance, and self-distraction. Potentially useful services for decreasing anxiety include the provision of detailed information pamphlets.

Conclusion: Melanoma patients likely to experience high anxiety can be predicted and managed in ways that minimize the distress experienced.