Recent studies have shown that spouses of cancer patients may be at increased risk for several psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, highlighting the need for mental health awareness. shown in research results.
“Efforts on interventions to support the mental health of caregivers are still in their infancy,” the researchers said. JAMA network open“Therefore, our study raises awareness among cancer patients’ families, health professionals, and society at large that patients and their families, particularly women with cancer, are more likely to be in a more aggressive type or advanced stage.” It underscores the importance of recognizing people with cancer, and the vulnerabilities of people with cancer who are progressing, in their first year of being diagnosed with cancer.”
In this study, researchers analyzed data from 546,321 spouses of cancer patients and compared them with 2,731,574 spouses without cancer. Of the spouses in both groups, 46% were male, with a median age of 60 years for her. Spouses of cancer patients were followed for a median of 8.4 years and non-cancer spouses were followed for a median of 7.6 years.
During the follow-up period, 6.9% of spouses of cancer patients developed a psychiatric disorder, compared with 5.6% of spouses of cancer-free individuals. Her risk of developing a psychiatric disorder in her first year after cancer diagnosis increased by 30%. This was especially elevated in stress-related disorders and depression.
Through follow-up, the risk of developing a psychiatric disorder increased by 14%. Risks of developing depression, substance abuse, and stress-related disorders were similar. The increased risk of psychiatric disorders was more pronounced among the spouses of patients diagnosed with cancers with a poor prognosis (i.e., pancreatic cancer) or those diagnosed at an advanced stage. The risk was also increased in spouses of patients who died during follow-up.
“The higher risk increases observed in male spouses, especially after the death of cancer patients, are consistent with the lower baseline risk of psychiatric disorders in men and their different social roles and sources of emotional support. “In general, women may be less prepared for caregiving and coping with bereavement,” the researchers wrote. It suggests that they may be a high-risk group.”
Some spouses included in this study had a pre-existing mental illness, meaning they had been previously diagnosed with a mental illness. For these spouses, the risk of developing a new mental illness or being re-diagnosed with the same condition increased by 23% across follow-up.
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