Open Access

ARTICLE

The Impact of Duration Since Cancer Diagnosis and Anxiety or Depression on the Utilization of Korean Medicine

Ji-eun Yu¹, Eunji Ahn², Hanbit Jin², Dongsu Kim^2,*

1 Division of Humanities and Social Medicine, the School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea
2 College of Korean Medicine, Dongshin University, Naju, 58245, Republic of Korea

* Corresponding Author: Dongsu Kim. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Evidence-based Approaches to Managing Stress, Depression, Anxiety, and Suicide)

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2025, 27(9), 1353-1367. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2025.067407

Received 02 May 2025; Accepted 31 July 2025; Issue published 30 September 2025

Abstract

Background: Patients with cancer are confronted not only with physical changes and pain but also with significant psychological challenges, including distress, anxiety, and depression, as a consequence of their diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to identify the factors influencing anxiety or depression in patients with cancer, examine the relationship between the duration since cancer diagnosis and psychological state, and explore the association between these factors and the use of Korean medicine (KM). Methods: This study utilized data from the 2018 Korea Health Panel spanning 2008 to 2018. The analysis focused on adult participants (aged 19 and above) diagnosed with cancer who responded to their psychological state (i.e., anxiety or depression) and the duration since their cancer diagnosis. The dependent variables were the presence of anxiety or depression and the utilization of KM. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to investigate factors influencing these variables. Results: A total of 773 participants were included in the final analysis, of whom 214 reported prior KM experience. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the likelihood of experiencing anxiety or depression decreased as the duration since cancer diagnosis increased. Factors associated with anxiety or depression in patients with cancer included sex (odds ratio [OR] = 2.06), number of chronic diseases (OR = 1.17), Charlson Comorbidity Index score (CCI score of 2: OR = 1.60), and EQ-5D (EuroQol Five Dimensions Questionnaire) index (OR < 0.001). Cancer patients without anxiety or depression were more likely to use KM if they had been diagnosed within three years, were female (OR = 2.11), and had a higher number of chronic conditions (OR = 1.20). In contrast, patients with anxiety or depression were more likely to utilize KM if they had been diagnosed for more than five years (OR = 6.30) and resided in urban areas. Conclusions: The results suggest that patterns of KM utilization among patients with cancer are associated with their psychological state. Future research should focus on identifying direct correlations between psychological factors and KM use in patients with cancer.

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Keywords

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