Cancer caregivers suffer from depression, health problems
A new report finds cancer caregivers suffer a steady decline in physical health compared to controls, and that symptoms of depression were the only significant predictor of caregivers’ physical health decline. Writing in Cancer, the authors say assessing and addressing depressive symptoms among caregivers early in the cancer survivorship trajectory may help to prevent premature health decline among this important, yet vulnerable population. The study is the longest follow-up to date of caregivers’ physical health following providing care to a loved one with cancer. It was funded by the American Cancer Society.
Cancer caregiving has been associated with worsening health among caregivers. To explore possible predictors of this decline, researchers led by Kelly M. Shaffer, Ph.D., of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, analyzed survey data from 664 cancer caregivers in the American Cancer Society’s National Quality of Life Survey for Caregivers. They examined changes in caregivers’ physical health from year two to year eight following a family member’s cancer diagnosis to find predictors of declining health.