QL-04 * FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SUICIDAL IDEATION IN CLINICALLY DISTRESSED ADULT GLIOMA PATIENTS

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: During patient care, it is critical to identify the glioma patients who are experiencing suicidal ideation among those who present with elevated levels of psychological distress, so appropriate interventions can be implemented. The aim of this study was to determine the factors that differentiated adult glioma patients with possible suicidal ideation from those without suicidal ideation among patients experiencing psychological distress. METHODS: 317 adult patients with WHO Grade II-IV glioma completed a psychosocial questionnaire comprised of several measures: Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) on general psychological distress, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 on depressive symptoms, General Anxiety Disorder-7 on anxiety symptoms, Revised Schwartz Cancer Fatigue Scale on fatigue, and CCSS Neurocognitive Questionnaire on cognitive symptoms. Patients with clinically elevated levels of psychological distress were identified, as determined by a BSI-18 Total T Score ≥ 50 (per Recklitis, 2007). Possible suicidal ideation was identified by endorsement of a positive response to BSI-18 item “thoughts of ending your life.” T-tests, chi-square tests, and regression were utilized to identify the factors that distinguished the patients who endorsed possible suicidal ideation from those who did not, among the subset of patients with clinically elevated distress levels. RESULTS: 116 patients (36.6%) endorsed clinically significant distress levels. Of these, 17 patients (14.7%) endorsed possible suicidal ideation. Significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, overall fatigue, emotional fatigue, emotional lability, task inefficiency, and memory concerns (p < .01) distinguished the patients with suicidal ideation. No medical characteristics (e.g., tumor location, grade, KPS, chemotherapy) or demographics (e.g., age, gender) significantly differentiated those with suicidal ideation from those without. CONCLUSION: The rates of clinically elevated psychological distress and potential suicidal ideation were determined in a large neuro-oncology clinic. Several psychosocial factors including fatigue and cognitive difficulties differentiated patients with possible suicidal ideation from those without, rather than tumor, treatment, or demographic characteristics.