Informal caregivers of advanced-stage cancer patients: Every second is at risk for psychiatric morbidity

Informal caregivers of advanced cancer patients are known to suffer from high distress due to their caregiving responsibilities. Nevertheless, a comprehensive evaluation of psychiatric morbidity is often missing in clinical practice due to time resources, and mental health problems may be unnoticed in this population. A feasible approach is needed to identify caregivers at risk for psychiatric disorders to offer targeted interventions and enhance their well-being.

This cross-sectional, multi-institutional study screened 345 caregivers of advanced cancer patients for psychiatric disorders (i.e., depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and alcohol abuse/dependence) and assessed factors potentially associated with mental health diagnoses (including socio-demographic factors, burden, hope, caring-related quality of life, and coping preferences).

Overall, almost 52 % of participants had one or more suspected psychiatric disorders, with anxiety being the most prevalent. Perceived hope, higher burden, and more emotion-oriented coping were associated with psychiatric morbidity in this sample. Spouses and parents showed significantly more symptoms of psychiatric disorders than other relatives.

This study confirms the high risk of informal caregivers of advanced cancer patients to develop psychiatric disorders and suggests a practically feasible approach to identify at risk caregivers to offer support.