Abstract:
Objective To investigate the trajectory of psychological distress and its influencing factors in lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Methods A total of 120 lung cancer patients treated with chemotherapy in Fuyang Cancer Hospital were selected as the research subjects. The psychological distress levels of the patients were evaluated by the Psychological Distress Thermometer (DT) score at the beginning of chemotherapy (T1), two cycles of chemotherapy (T2), end of chemotherapy (T3) and after 1 month of chemotherapy (T4). The latent category growth analysis (LCGA) model was used to explore the latent classification characteristics of the psychological distress trajectory of lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and the influencing factors were analyzed through multivariate logistic regression.
Results The DT score of the patients showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing during the period from T1 to T4, and the overall level was moderate psychological distress. The LCGA model identified four potential classifications: high-level stable group (C1), medium-level rise and fall group (C2), medium-level stable group (C3) and low-level stable group (C4). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the OR values for per capita monthly income ranging from 1000 to 3000 yuan and > 3000 yuan were 0.344 (95%CI: 0.231–0.511) and 0.162 (95%CI: 0.093–0.281), respectively, the OR value of psychological resilience was 0.981 (95%CI: 0.970–0.991), and the OR value of social support was 0.971 (95%CI: 0.948–0.994), which were the protective factors for the changes in the psychological distress trajectory of lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The OR values of patients with a disease course of 6–12 months and >12 months were 2.018 (95%CI: 1.532–2.658) and 5.606 (95%CI: 3.628–8.663), respectively, and the OR value of clinical stage was 3.957 (95%CI: 2.522–6.207), which were considered risk factors.
Conclusions Among lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, the trajectory of psychological distress shows significant group heterogeneity. By assessing the dynamic characteristics of psychological distress and its influencing factors, clinical staff can identify high-risk groups and implement targeted interventions to effectively alleviate psychological distress and improve patients' overall quality of life.