Depressive Symptoms, Correlates, and the Marital Relationship in Women with Breast Cancer in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The relationship between the quality of the marital relationship and depressive symp
toms in married women with breast cancer in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was examined. A consecu
tive series of 50 women with breast cancer were interviewed using a close-ended questionnaire. 
Over 20% of women had depressive symptoms indicating a probable depressive disorder using 
the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Although a weak relationship in the expected direc
tion was found, quality of the marital relationship was not significantly related to depressive 
symptoms (B=-0.09, SE=0.06, t=-1.54, p=0.13). Depressive symptoms were primarily driven 
by educational level, socioeconomic factors, age, and type of treatment.