Factors Associated With Psychological Distress Among Thyroid Cancer Patients

Matthew E Lin; Eric X Wei; Andrey Finegersh; Lisa A Orloff; Julia E Noel; Michelle M Chen

doi:10.1002/ohn.1051

Factors Associated With Psychological Distress Among Thyroid Cancer Patients

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2024 Nov 5. doi: 10.1002/ohn.1051. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Matthew E Lin¹, Eric X Wei², Andrey Finegersh^{2

3}, Lisa A Orloff², Julia E Noel^{2

4}, Michelle M Chen^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine of University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
² Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA.
³ Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, Palo Alto VA Medical Center, Palo Alto, California, USA.
⁴ Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, California, USA.

PMID: 39501654
DOI: 10.1002/ohn.1051

Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence of psychological distress (PD) among thyroid cancer patients (TCPs) and identify clinical, demographic, and socioeconomic factors associated with PD.

Study design: Retrospective population-based cohort study.

Setting: 2016 to 2018 National Health Interview Survey.

Methods: Adults with cancer were included. The primary outcome measure was moderate-to-severe psychological distress (MSPD), defined as a respondent score ≥5 on the validated K6 Psychological Distress Scale. χ² tests were used to assess differences in MSPD by cancer type. Weighted multivariable logistic regression was used to elucidate factors associated with MSPD among TCPs.

Results: The majority of TCPs (n = 684,674) were white (75.4%), female (78.5%), and on average 55.65 years old (SD = 13.2). 28.4% reported MSPD. On weighted analysis, TCPs were more likely to have MSPD than prostate (14.9%, P < .001), bladder (16.4%, P = .011), and nonmelanoma skin cancer (16.3%, P < .001) patients but less likely than pancreatic cancer (30.0%, P = .030) patients. TCPs who were older when surveyed (odds ratio [OR], 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI, 0.88-0.98), previously drank alcohol (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.06-0.91), and saw a general physician (GP) in the past year (OR, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.03-0.56) were less likely to have MSPD. Female sex (OR, 8.12; 95% CI, 1.61-40.89), increased number of medical comorbidities (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.00-2.14), and functional limitations (OR, 4.55; 95% CI, 1.33-15.74) were associated with increased likelihood of MSPD.

Conclusion: Nearly 30% of TCPs have MSPD, especially younger patients who do not regularly see GPs. Future work to identify the most at-risk patients is needed to improve prevention and develop meaningful psychosocial interventions.

Keywords: disparities; preventative care; psychological distress; survivorship; thyroid cancer.