The psychological disorder and personality traits of individuals with pulmonary nodules.

Introduction: With the widespread use of Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in the chest, more and more people will be detected with pulmonary nodules. The presence of uncertainty following the detection of these nodules can impose significant psychological distress. This study aimed to investigate personality traits, psychological distress, and their impact on pulmonary nodule patients in China.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of adults with pulmonary nodules accidently discovered by LDCT in the chest from the respiratory outpatient department.

Results: A total of 224 patients with pulmonary nodules were included in this study. The prevalence of anxiety among patients with pulmonary nodules was found to be 47.8 %, while the prevalence of depression was reported to be 44.2 %. The present study also demonstrated a higher prevalence of anxiety among female patients with pulmonary nodules compared to their male counterparts, with mild anxiety being the predominant manifestation. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age (OR = 0.926, P < 0.01), gender (OR = 3.24, P < 0.01), number of pulmonary nodules (OR = 0.586, P < 0.05), lung cancer-related characteristics (OR = 5.423, P < 0.01), PTSD (OR = 5.715, P < 0.01), and Extroversion personality traits (OR = 1.087, P < 0.05) were significant factors contributing to anxiety in patients with pulmonary nodules. Similarly, (OR = 0.891, P < 0.01), gender (OR = 2.981, P < 0.05), duration (OR = 0.663, P < 0.05), lung cancer-related characteristics (OR = 5.707, P < 0.01), PTSD (OR = 4.420, P < 0.01)emerged as key factors associated with depression in this patient population.

Conclusion: Approximately 50 % of patients with pulmonary nodules exhibit negative affective states. Furthermore, as time progresses, the negative emotional burden of anxiety and depression in individuals with pulmonary nodules tends to alleviate.