Affective disorders in patients of a hospice

Introduction . Palliative care is a part of medicine demanding of combined efforts from different specialists. The attention to mental and somatic state of the patients should be provided with integrated biopsychosocial approach.

Objective . To assess prevalence of affective disorders among terminally ill cancer patients in a hospice.

Materials and Methods . 49 patients (19 male and 30 female, mean age 73,17±7,13 years) hospitalized due to incurable oncopathology for palliative care in the hospice were interviewed according to Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). The inclusion criterions were ability to understand the text of the questionnaire and wish to answer it. For making a diagnosis of depressive disorders the clinical interview has been hold by the psychiatrist according to score of psychodiagnostic scales.