Do depression and anxiety impact people’s interest in cancer screening uptake? Cross-sectional analysis of the Health Information National Trend Survey (HINTS) 6 cycle

Authors

Maxwell Akonde, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Columbia, SC, USFollow
Bernard Frempong, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Grand Forks, ND, USFollow
Rajat Das Gupta, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Columbia, SC, USFollow
Rebecca Yeboah, Emory University Laney Graduate School, Development Practice (MDP) Program, Atlanta, GA, USFollow
Benedict Boateng Antuamwine, University for Development Studies, Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, Tamale, Northern, GhanaFollow
Nana Akosua Yeboah, College of Charleston, 66 George St, Charleston, SC, USFollow
Georgina Abojoka Abah, Bingham University College of Health Sciences, Abuja-Keffi Rd, Karu, Nasarawa, NigeriaFollow
Cynthia Cupit Swenson, Medical University of South Carolina, Division of Global and Community Health, 176 Croghan Spur, Suite 104, Charleston, SC, USFollow

Abstract

Cancer screening leads to reduced cancer mortality. Depression and anxiety impact decision-making and may result in less interest in cancer screening (ICS), which is one of the motivators of cancer screening uptake. We examined the association between depression and anxiety and ICS. We analyzed the data of 4,512 respondents in the Health Information National Trend Survey (HINTS) 6 cycle 3. Multivariable logistic regressions were fitted to calculate for the adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals on the association between depression, anxiety, and respondents’ ICS. Overall, depression and anxiety were not significantly associated (OR=1.17, 95% CI: 0.81-1.70) with interest in cancer screening. However, among people 40 – 60 years of age, those who reported moderate/severe depression and anxiety were 33% (OR=0.67, 95%CI: 0.46-0.99) significantly less likely to be interested in cancer screening compared to those with normal/mild depression and anxiety. The study suggests the need for intentional efforts to improve ICS in people aged 40-60 years who report depression and anxiety.

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LinkedIn: Maxwell Akonde

Author ORCID Identifier

0000-0002-0869-1219

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

Recommended Citation

Akonde, Maxwell; Frempong, Bernard; Das Gupta, Rajat; Yeboah, Rebecca; Antuamwine, Benedict Boateng; Yeboah, Nana Akosua; Abah, Georgina Abojoka; and Swenson, Cynthia Cupit (2025) "Do depression and anxiety impact people’s interest in cancer screening uptake? Cross-sectional analysis of the Health Information National Trend Survey (HINTS) 6 cycle," Health Behavior Research: Vol. 8: No. 1. https://doi.org/10.4148/2572-1836.1285