Chun-Yi Lee1, Yu Lee2, Liang-Jen Wang3, Chih-Yen Chien4, Fu-Min Fang5, Pao-Yen Lin6. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 2. Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: leeyu722@ms14.hinet.net. 3. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 4. Department of Otolaryngology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: cychien3965@adm.cgmh.org.tw. 5. Department of Radiation Oncology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 6. Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Institute for Translational Research in Biomedical Sciences, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: py1029@adm.cgmh.org.tw.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Caregivers of patients with cancer experience a variety of psychological distress. This study aimed to investigate the mental health status and depressive disorder predictors in caregivers of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) over a six-month follow-up. METHODS: We recruited the participants for this study from a HNC outpatient clinic in a medical center from February 2012 to January 2013. Caregivers of HNC patients were evaluated with the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV, Clinician Version, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), and the Family APGAR index. Baseline evaluations were performed, and additional evaluations were performed again 3months and 6months later. RESULTS: We assessed a total of 132 caregivers in this study. Over the 6-month follow-up period, the severity of the caregivers' depression and anxiety significantly decreased, while their quality of life improved significantly. At the 6-month assessment, the most prevalent psychiatric disorders were depressive disorders (12.9%), followed by alcohol abuse (1.5%) and primary insomnia (1.5%). Older age, hypnotics use, pre-existing depressive disorders at baseline, and a lower mental component of SF-36 score at baseline were found to significantly predict depressive disorders after 6months. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that the mental health of caregivers of HNC patients improves during the 6-month follow-up, as well as that depressive disorders were the most prevalent psychiatric diagnosis. Clinicians need to be alert to and manage any emerging mental health problems in caregivers during patient care, especially depressive disorders.
OBJECTIVE: Caregivers of patients with cancer experience a variety of psychological distress. This study aimed to investigate the mental health status and depressive disorder predictors in caregivers of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) over a six-month follow-up. METHODS: We recruited the participants for this study from a HNC outpatient clinic in a medical center from February 2012 to January 2013. Caregivers of HNC patients were evaluated with the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV, Clinician Version, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), and the Family APGAR index. Baseline evaluations were performed, and additional evaluations were performed again 3months and 6months later. RESULTS: We assessed a total of 132 caregivers in this study. Over the 6-month follow-up period, the severity of the caregivers' depression and anxiety significantly decreased, while their quality of life improved significantly. At the 6-month assessment, the most prevalent psychiatric disorders were depressive disorders (12.9%), followed by alcohol abuse (1.5%) and primary insomnia (1.5%). Older age, hypnotics use, pre-existing depressive disorders at baseline, and a lower mental component of SF-36 score at baseline were found to significantly predict depressive disorders after 6months. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that the mental health of caregivers of HNC patients improves during the 6-month follow-up, as well as that depressive disorders were the most prevalent psychiatric diagnosis. Clinicians need to be alert to and manage any emerging mental health problems in caregivers during patient care, especially depressive disorders.