Study on anxiety,depression and their related factors in family caregivers of cancer patients

Objective The purpose of the study was to examine anxiety and depression in primary family caregivers of patients with cancer and to examine related factors that are associated with anxiety and depression of family caregivers.Methods The anxiety was rated with the Serf-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the depression rated with the Center for Epidemiological Survey,Depression Scale ( CES-D ).The general conditions of the caregivers were collected with questionnaires designed by authors among the 106 primary family earegivers for inpatients having cancer.Results The mean depression scores of caregivers rated by the 106 earegivers themselve for the cancer patients on the CES-D was ( 18.75±9.06),which was significandy higher than that of the normal samples in our country and exhibited a statistical difference (P＜0.01).55.7% of caregivers reported depression symptoms.In 106 caregivers,the score from self-rating anxiety scale is ( 33.94±7.09),which was higher than that of the normal samples in our country,having a statistical difference (P＜0.01).22.6% of the caregivers reported their SAS scores exceeded thresholds for clinical anxiety.The high anxiety index was significandy associated with the caregivers reported more patients symptoms,and the spouses of the patients were also at the high risk of anxiety.Conclusions A high level of severe anxiety and depression existed in primary family caregivers of cancer patients.The psychological status of caregivers was influenced by many kinds of factors.Health care personnel should actively provide corresponding interventions to improve the level of mental health in family caregivers of patients. Key words: Cancer; Caregivers; Anxiety; Depression