Investigating the prevalence of depression in children and adolescents with cancer admitted to the oncology ward of Besat Hospital in Sanandaj

Introduction: Depression in children with cancer can complicate the course of the disease and cause many problems in the treatment process. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression in children and adolescents with cancer. Method: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Forty children with cancer admitted to the oncology ward of Besat Hospital, Sanandaj, with an age range of 7- 17 years in 2016, who were selected and assessed using a demographic information checklist and the Children's Depression Inventory (Kovacs, 1979). After collecting data, the data were analyzed by SPSS-20 software using descriptive statistical tests and chi-square. Results: The 15% of the subjects had depressive symptoms and 47.5% were on the verge of depression. The prevalence of depression was 21.1% in girls and 9.5% in boys (p=0.54), and there was no significant difference in terms of cancer type (p=0.99), treatment method (p=0.81) and demographic indicators (p>0.05). Conclusion: Due to the relatively high prevalence of depression in this group of patients, it is recommended that the necessary screenings be performed to identify and refer patients with depression to psychiatric or psychological clinics to receive appropriate and timely treatment to help improve the quality of life of these patients and their families.