Abstract

LANDA-RAMIREZ, Edgar et al. Assessment of depression in patients with terminal cancer and its aplication in the Mexican context: A review. Salud Ment [online]. 2014, vol.37, n.5, pp.415-422. ISSN 0185-3325.

Depression is one of the most common emotional problems in palliative patients. Due to the advanced nature of the disease, several physical symptoms presented by patients overlap with symptoms of depression, making it difficult to evaluate and diagnose the problem. The aim of this paper was to conduct a narrative review of the main instruments used to assess depression when it is present in palliative patients, with a special consideration of the Mexican context. Based on the available data and the scholarly literature, it is more appropriate to conduct an assessment of depression focused on emotional aspects than somatics aspects in palliative patients. Internationally, a number of depression assessments place greater emphasis on anhedonia and emotions, such as hopelessness, than on somatic aspects of depression. In Mexico, a considerable gap remains in the development of instruments to identify depression in the palliative setting. Finally, we describe alternative assessments of depression, which could be evaluated and considered in the future in the palliative care setting.

Keywords : Depression; cancer; palliative care.

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