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Effects of gender and depressive symptoms on quality of life among colorectal and lung cancer patients and their family caregivers
Author(s) -
Kim Youngmee,
Ryn Michelle,
Jensen Roxanne E.,
Griffin Joan M.,
Potosky Arnold,
Rowland Julia
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
psycho‐oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.41
H-Index - 137
eISSN - 1099-1611
pISSN - 1057-9249
DOI - 10.1002/pon.3580
Subject(s) - quality of life (healthcare) , psychosocial , psychological intervention , distress , depressive symptoms , medicine , mental health , family caregivers , depression (economics) , clinical psychology , cancer , colorectal cancer , psychiatry , anxiety , psychology , physical therapy , nursing , economics , macroeconomics
Objective Cancer patients and their family caregivers often report elevated levels of depressive symptoms, along with poorer mental and physical health (quality of life: QOL). Although the mutuality in distress between patients and their caregivers is relatively well known, unknown are the degree to which caregivers' depressive symptoms independently predict their patient's QOL and vice versa, and whether the relations vary by cancer type or gender. Methods Colorectal or lung cancer patients and their caregivers (398 dyads) provided complete data for study variables (212 colorectal cancer patient dyads, 186 lung cancer patient dyads; 257 male patient dyads, 141 female patient dyads). Patients' depressive symptoms and QOL were measured approximately 4 and 12 months post‐diagnosis; caregivers' depressive symptoms and QOL were measured approximately 5 months post‐diagnosis. Results The actor–partner interdependence model confirmed that each person's depressive symptom level was uniquely associated with his/her own concurrent QOL. Female patients' depressive symptoms were also related to their caregivers' poorer physical and better mental health, particularly when the pair's depressive symptoms were at similarly elevated level. On the other hand, male patients' elevated depressive symptoms were related to their caregivers' poorer mental health. Conclusions Findings suggest that QOL among patients and their family caregivers is interdependent. In light of this interdependency, psychosocial interventions for managing depressive symptoms should target both patients and their family caregivers, from which both may benefit by not only alleviating depressive symptoms but also improving QOL. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.