Annals of Oncology Advance Access originally published online on April 22, 2005
Annals of Oncology 2005 16(7):1185-1191; doi:10.1093/annonc/mdi210
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© 2005 European Society for Medical Oncology
Anxiety, depression, and quality of life in caregivers of patients with cancer in late palliative phase
1 Buskerud University College, Institute of Health, Drammen; 2 Department of Clinical Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, University of Oslo, Oslo; 3 Department of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
* Correspondence to: Professor A. A. Dahl, Department of Clinical Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, 0310 Oslo, Norway. Tel: +47-22-93-40-00; Fax +47-22-93-45-53; Email: alvd{at}ulrik.uio.no
Background:: Limited research has been done on mental health and health-related quality of life (QOL) of primary caregivers (PCs) to patients staying at home with advanced cancer. This study examines anxiety, depression, and QOL in PCs of patients with cancer in the late palliative phase.
Patients and methods:: The sample consisted of 49 PCs of women with breast cancer and 47 PCs of men with prostate cancer. QOL was rated with the Medical Outcome Study Short Form (SF-36), and mental health with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The findings were compared with age-adjusted norm data (norm).
Results:: Physical QOL was significantly higher than norm in both genders, while mental QOL was significantly lower in male PCs. The level of anxiety was significantly higher than norm in both genders. No significant difference for level of depression was found in either gender, while caseness of HADS-defined depression was significantly more prevalent in female PCs compared with norm.
Conclusion:: PCs of both genders had significantly more anxiety than norm samples. Health care personnel in contact with PCs should consider screening them for mental symptoms and QOL and, if necessary, recommend further evaluation by their doctors.
Key words: anxiety, cancer, caregivers, depression, norm data, quality of life
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