Depression and vasomotor symptoms in young breast cancer survivors: the mediating role of sleep disturbance

Arch Womens Ment Health. 2015 Jun;18(3):565-8. doi: 10.1007/s00737-015-0504-5. Epub 2015 Jan 18.

Abstract

Depression, sleep disturbance, and vasomotor symptoms are common in breast cancer survivors (BCS), especially in younger women diagnosed before menopause. Risk factors and mechanisms for depression in this population are relatively unexplored. In 163 young BCS, vasomotor symptoms were significantly associated with higher depressive symptoms (β = 0.26, p = 0.001) and 64 % of the total effect was mediated through sleep disturbance (beta for specific indirect effect = 1.296, 95 % CI 0.591-2.212). Treatments reducing vasomotor symptoms might alleviate sleep disturbance and depression in this population.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Breast Neoplasms / complications
  • Breast Neoplasms / psychology*
  • Depression / diagnosis
  • Depression / epidemiology*
  • Depression / psychology
  • Female
  • Health Surveys
  • Hot Flashes / diagnosis
  • Hot Flashes / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Quality of Life
  • Risk Factors
  • Sleep Wake Disorders / diagnosis
  • Sleep Wake Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Sleep Wake Disorders / psychology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Survivors / psychology*
  • Survivors / statistics & numerical data