Navigating Dual Battles: An Exploratory Study on Clinical and Psychosocial Correlates of Psychiatric Morbidity in Cancer Patients

Background: Mental health disorders, especially depression and anxiety, are prevalent among cancer patients due to the significant psychosocial impacts of the disease. Despite high morbidity, psychiatric disorders in cancer patients are often underdiagnosed and undertreated. Aim: This study aims to identify the sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors associated with psychiatric morbidity in cancer patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted in the psychiatry and radiation oncology departments of a North Indian tertiary care hospital. One hundred and forty-four cancer patients aged 18–75 years undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy were assessed for the presence of psychiatric comorbidity using semistructured interview. Standardized instruments, including the Patient Health Questionnaire, Coping Behavior Assessment Scale, Brief Religious Coping Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Presumptive Stressful Life Events Scale, were then applied to assess for psychosocial correlates. Results: Out of 144 patients, 77 (53.5%) were female and 67 (46.5%) were male, with a mean age of participants being 52 years. 63.89% of participants were diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, most common being depressive illness (19.44%), followed by adjustment disorder (18.05%), anxiety disorders (14.58%), sleep disorders (5.55%), substance use disorders (3.47%), and bipolar affective disorder/psychotic disorders (2.77%). Significant associations were found between psychiatric morbidity and older age, advanced cancer stages, stressful life events, low social support, and coping strategies. No significant associations were found with gender, marital status, education, or occupation, and other clinical correlates such as cancer type, location, and treatment modality. Conclusion: The study highlights the high prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in cancer patients and reveals the critical role of certain psychosocial factors, with adaptive coping strategies, positive religious coping, and robust social support linked to better mental health outcomes. This emphasizes the importance of early identification and effective psychosocial interventions to improve patient outcomes.