The effect of interpersonal psychotherapy on quality of life among breast cancer patients with common mental health disorder: a randomized control trial at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital

Purpose: To determine the effect of interpersonal psychotherapy on anxiety, depression, and quality of life among breast cancer patients with mental health disorders at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia.

Methods: A two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial study was conducted among 114 (n = 57 intervention, and n = 57 control group) breast cancer patients with common mental health disorder at the oncology center of Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital. The hospital anxiety and depression measurement scale was used to assess depression and anxiety disorder and a 30-item quality of life questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life. General linear model analysis was done, confounding factors were controlled, and p < 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance.

Results: Patients in the intervention group showed a significant improvement in the anxiety (coefficient - 3.68; 95% CI - 5.67, - 1.69; p < 0.001), depression (coefficient - 3.22; 95% CI - 4.7, - 1.69; p < 0.001), physical functioning (coefficient 10.55; 95% CI 3.13, 17.98; p = 0.006), health-related quality of life (coefficient 21.85; 95% CI 14.1, 29.59; p < 0.001), insomnia (coefficient - 19.56; 95% CI - 31.87, - 7.25; p = 0.002), and fatigue (coefficient - 11.37; 95% CI - 21.49, - 1.24; p = 0.028) respectively.

Conclusions: The adapted Ethiopian version of interpersonal psychotherapy had improved anxiety, depression, and some domains of health-related quality of life. Hence, health programmers should consider incorporating it as a treatment option in oncology centers.

Trial registration number: PACTR202011629348967 granted on 20 November 2020 which was retrospectively registered.