BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess long-term psychological distress in siblings who lost a brother or sister to cancer 2 to 9 years earlier, as compared with a control group of non-bereaved siblings from the general population. METHODS: During 2009, we conducted a nationwide follow-up study in Sweden by using an anonymous study-specific questionnaire. Siblings who had lost a brother or sister to cancer between the years 2000 and 2007 and also a control group of non-bereaved siblings from the general population were invited to participate. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to measure psychological distress, and to test for differences in the ordinal outcome responses between the groups, we used Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney rank-sum test. RESULTS: Among the bereaved siblings, 174/240 (73%) participated and 219/293 (75%) among the non-bereaved. Self-assessed low self-esteem (p = 0.002), difficulties falling asleep (p = 0.005), and low level of personal maturity (p = 0.007) at follow-up were more prevalent among bereaved siblings. However, anxiety (p = 0.298) and depression (p = 0.946), according to HADS, were similar. CONCLUSION: Bereaved siblings are at increased risk of low self-esteem, low level of personal maturity and difficulties falling asleep as compared with non-bereaved peers. Yet, the bereaved were not more likely to report anxiety or depression.
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess long-term psychological distress in siblings who lost a brother or sister to cancer 2 to 9 years earlier, as compared with a control group of non-bereaved siblings from the general population. METHODS: During 2009, we conducted a nationwide follow-up study in Sweden by using an anonymous study-specific questionnaire. Siblings who had lost a brother or sister to cancer between the years 2000 and 2007 and also a control group of non-bereaved siblings from the general population were invited to participate. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to measure psychological distress, and to test for differences in the ordinal outcome responses between the groups, we used Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney rank-sum test. RESULTS: Among the bereaved siblings, 174/240 (73%) participated and 219/293 (75%) among the non-bereaved. Self-assessed low self-esteem (p = 0.002), difficulties falling asleep (p = 0.005), and low level of personal maturity (p = 0.007) at follow-up were more prevalent among bereaved siblings. However, anxiety (p = 0.298) and depression (p = 0.946), according to HADS, were similar. CONCLUSION: Bereaved siblings are at increased risk of low self-esteem, low level of personal maturity and difficulties falling asleep as compared with non-bereaved peers. Yet, the bereaved were not more likely to report anxiety or depression.
Authors: Terrah Foster Akard; Micah A Skeens; Christine A Fortney; Mary S Dietrich; Mary Jo Gilmer; Kathryn Vannatta; Maru Barrera; Betty Davies; Sarah Wray; Cynthia A Gerhardt Journal: Cancer Nurs Date: 2019 Jan/Feb Impact factor: 2.592
Authors: Kim Mooney-Doyle; Janet A Deatrick; Connie M Ulrich; Salimah H Meghani; Chris Feudtner Journal: J Palliat Med Date: 2017-10-03 Impact factor: 2.947
Authors: James M Bolton; Wendy Au; Dan Chateau; Randy Walld; William D Leslie; Jessica Enns; Patricia J Martens; Laurence Y Katz; Sarvesh Logsetty; Jitender Sareen Journal: World Psychiatry Date: 2016-02 Impact factor: 49.548
Authors: Nancy S Hogan; Lee A Schmidt; Katianne M Howard Sharp; Maru Barrera; Bruce E Compas; Betty Davies; Diane L Fairclough; Mary Jo Gilmer; Kathryn Vannatta; Cynthia A Gerhardt Journal: Death Stud Date: 2019-07-05