Abdulhadi Alhabbad

Dr. Abdulhadi Alhabbad


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

1Year (2026-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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16 October 2026 in Pediatric Reports
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
AAAlyah A. Alqarni
Alyah A. Alqarni
AAAbdulhadi Alhabbad
Abdulhadi Alhabbad
SASamah H Alkhawashki
Samah H Alkhawashki
HBHasan O. Batis
Hasan O. Batis
AAAreeb M. Altbenawi
Areeb M. Altbenawi
MAMajed Moahmmed Alshehri
Majed Moahmmed Alshehri
Background/Objectives: Adolescents undergoing treatment for cancer face both physical and psychological challenges, including depression and anxiety, yet local prevalence data remain limited in Saudi Arabia. The primary objective was to determine the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among adolescents with cancer at a tertiary center in Riyadh; a secondary, exploratory objective was to examine associations with socio-demographic and clinical factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary oncology center in Riyadh. Using convenience sampling, 86 adolescents aged 12–18 years with a confirmed tumor diagnosis completed a study-developed questionnaire and the validated Arabic PHQ-9 and GAD-7; analysis was restricted to the 59 participants with malignant disease. Results: Depressive symptoms of any severity were reported by 52.5% of participants (95% CI 40.0–64.7%), and anxiety symptoms by 37.3% (95% CI 26.1–50.0%). In secondary, exploratory analyses using a clinically meaningful threshold, both depression and anxiety were significantly more common among females than males (depression: 36.8% vs. 10.0%, p = 0.027; anxiety: 52.6% vs. 10.0%, p = 0.0006); anxiety was also significantly associated with age (highest at 14–16 years; p = 0.024). Most participants had no prior formal mental health diagnosis. Conclusions: Over half of adolescents with cancer in this Saudi sample experienced depressive symptoms, and over a third experienced anxiety symptoms; female gender was associated with both outcomes, and age with anxiety specifically, though these associations remain exploratory given the small sample. These findings support routine screening for all adolescents with cancer, with particular attention to female patients.