[Partnership Status And Prevalence Of Mental Disorders In Women And Men With Cancer].

Background: Patients facing the diagnosis of cancer are confronted with high stress levels, which increase the risk of developing a mental disorder. Being in a relationship moderates patients' mental health and can have a risk-reducing effect. We aim to describe the influence of partnership status on the 4-week-prevalence of mental disorders in cancer patients and how it varies by gender.

Methods: As part of the secondary data analysis of a multicenter cross-sectional study, 1857 patients with cancer (51,6% women, age 18-75 years, Ø age 57 years, 79,7% in a partnership) were assessed using a written questionnaire and, for the diagnosis of psychological disorders (4-week prevalence), the CIDI-O interview. Frequency calculations and binary logistic analyses were carried out.

Results: In the univariate analyses, the frequency of the presence of at least one mental disorder is significantly lower in patients who are in a relationship (25,4% vs. 35,3%, p<0,001). They are also less likely to simultaneously suffer from multiple mental disorders. These differences are also evident for individual classes of disorders. The multivariate gender-differentiated analysis confirms this trend. In addition to age and income as significant predictors, only men experience a significant protective effect of their relationship against the occurrence of a mental disorder (OR=2,5, p<0,001).

Discussion: There has been very limited research on the links between partnership status, gender, and mental disorders in cancer patients. The results found in our analyses should be further explored, particularly regarding the protective role of partnership against developing mental disorders.

Conclusion: In the context of psycho-oncological care the status of living alone should be considered as a possible risk factor for developing mental disorders, especially in men.