Cancer-Related Fatigue and Its Association With Psychological Factors: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a debilitating symptom experienced by many cancer patients due to the disease itself or the therapy they receive. There was a variety of results in the prevalence of CRF in Ethiopia, this study estimates the pooled prevalence of CRF and its relation with psychosocial factors among patients with cancer in Ethiopia. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using different databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Psycinfo, and EMBASE. Data extraction and cleaning were performed using Microsoft Excel, and analyses were conducted using STATA version 17 statistical software. The estimated pooled prevalence of CRF was calculated using a random effects model. Meta-analysis was used to assess the existence of statistical associations between psychosocial factors and CRF. Results: A total of 10 articles with a total of 3678 study participants were included in the final systematic review and meta-analysis. The estimated pooled prevalence of CRF was 59% (95% CI: 49%-70%) which showed that more than half of patients with cancer experienced fatigue. The study identified significant associations between CRF and psychological factors, particularly anxiety (odds ratio [OR]: 4.16; 95% CI: 3.25-5.33; P =.000), depression (OR: 3.86; 95% CI: 2.84-5.23; P =.000), and poor sleep quality (OR: 3.65; 95% CI: 2.25-5.95; P =.000). Conclusions: The prevalence of CRF in Ethiopia was high, and anxiety, depression, and sleep quality were statistically significant factors. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach, including integration of psychosocial support into treatment plans, is recommended.