MOOD STATES OF ONCOLOGY OUTPATIENTS - DOES PAIN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The purposes of this study were to determine if there were significant differences in the mood states of oncology outpatients who had cancer -related pain and those who were painfree, and to evaluate the relatio nships between pain intensity and duration and mood states in those pa tients with pain. Two hundred (54.2%) patients experienced cancer-rela ted pain during the previous month and 169 (45.8%) patients were pain free. Those patients who experienced cancer-related pain scored signif icantly higher on all of the subscale scores of the Profile of Mood St ates, except vigor, and had a significantly higher total mood disturba nce (TMD) score than did pain-free patients. In addition, the subscale scores of tension, depression, anger, fatigue confusion, and TMD scor es were moderately correlated with increases in pain intensity. Also, depression, fatigue, confusion, and TMD scores were moderately correla ted with increasing duration of pain. These data suggest that there is a relationship between pain and mood in oncology outpatients and that health-care professionals need to assess for mood disturbances in thi s population and develop appropriate treatment strategies.