Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether women with breast cancer and the presence of the drug tamoxifen, are more severely depressed than women with breast cancer and the absence of tamoxifen. Average Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores did not differ between the two sub-groups; however, two significant group differences were found. First, 10 women in the tamoxifen group had scores of zero (versus 4 in the absence of prescribed tamoxifen group). Research has shown that scores of zero do not always reflect an absence of depression. Second, the most severely depressed women (BDI scores in the 25 to 31 range) were also members of the tamoxifen group. These results suggest that for the women taking tamoxifen at the time of the study, a history of depression was associated with more severe depressive symptoms. Finally, among women without tamoxifen, several had discontinued tamoxifen therapy because of depressive side effects.

LLU Discipline

Social Work

Department

Social Work

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Mark G. Haviland

Second Advisor

Dianna J. Simon

Third Advisor

Craig R. Jackson

Degree Name

Master of Social Work (MSW)

Degree Level

M.S.W.

Year Degree Awarded

1998

Date (Title Page)

6-1998

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Tamoxifen -- adverse effects; Depression -- chemically-induced; Breast Neoplasms -- drug therapy

Type

Thesis

Page Count

iii; 50

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

Download

Share

COinS