Abstract

Introduction: Psychosocial distress in caregivers of cancer patients is highly prevalent, particularly in advanced stages. Little data is available concerning extent and main issues of caregivers’ distress from patients who receive their treatment in an oncology group practice. Methods: Standardized cross-sectional survey was administered to caregivers and patients with a metastatic solid tumor who were treated in a community based oncology group practice. Patients provided information concerning their caregivers and level of distress. Caregivers assessed level and main issues of distress. The extent of distress was evaluated using the Distress Thermometer (DT), main issues of distress were evaluated by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D). Results: 200 patients (35% male) with a median age of 68 (38 – 93) were interviewed. DT mean score was 4.7, with 35% scoring above cut-off (> 5). 90% named one or more caregiver, 1.3 were named in mean (0 – 4). 137 caregivers (42% male) with a median age of 61.5 (25 – 86) were interviewed. DT mean score was 5.4, with 48% scoring above cut-off (> 5). According to HADS-D 20% were anxious (cut-off >= 11) and 15% depressed (cut-off >= 9) in a clinical sense. With regard to the distress level of caregivers and patients, gender was not found to be a confounding variable although female patients showed higher distress levels than male patients. Conclusion: Caregivers are screened as highly distressed, sometimes even more than the patients themselves. A significant proportion seems to be anxious and depressed and therefore should be offered help.

Highlights

  • Psychosocial distress in caregivers of cancer patients is highly prevalent, in advanced stages

  • Standardized cross-sectional survey was administered to caregivers and patients with a metastatic solid tumor who were treated in a community based oncology group practice

  • The role of a cancer patients’ caregiver is often assumed with little or no preparation and without considering whether one has enough knowledge, resources or skills to cope with the situation (Northouse, Williams, Given, & McCorkle, 2012)

Read more

Summary

Methods

Standardized cross-sectional survey was administered to caregivers and patients with a metastatic solid tumor who were treated in a community based oncology group practice. Patients provided information concerning their caregivers and level of distress. Caregivers assessed level and main issues of distress. Standardized cross-sectional survey of caregivers and patients with a metastatic solid tumor who were treated in a community based oncology group practice in Germany between 04/2010 – 03/2011. Participants were recruited by consecutive sampling during the palliative treatment phase. All data was collected in a database and analyzed statistically using SPSS 19. Frequencies, medians and means were computed; mean differences were tested for statistical significance by t-tests for independent samples and by one- and two-way analyses of variance (ANOVA).

Results
Discussion
Conclusion
Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call