Anxiety Levels in Patients With Malignant Disease

Spielberger State and Trait anxiety scores are reported for 378 cancer patients and 379 matched relatives. Anxiety scores are given by demographic and clinical characteristics. Analysis of variance with the Scheffe procedure indicates but one substantive distinguishing characteristic: treatment status. Patients receiving palliative care displayed significantly higher anxiety scores than did patients under active treatment or follow-up care. Correlations between patients’ state and trait scores increased according to whether patients were receiving follow-up, active, or palliative care. The correlation between state and trait scores for patients under palliative care (r = .78) is so high as to suggest that the measures of state (transient) and trait (permanent) mood status are essentially identical. The high level of anxiety displayed by patients under palliative treatment suggests the need for intervention such as that provided by hospice care, and indicates that anti-anxiety medication may be underutilized.