Caregivers of people with cancer go through psychological discomfort that is often overlooked, affecting their quality of life and also patient care, according to a study conducted by doctors from AIIMS Patna.
The study was conducted between July 2020 and March 2021 at the Department of Radiation Oncology of AIIMS Patna to determine the quality of life of caregivers of cancer patients.
A total of 350 caregivers were contacted, of whom 264 were eligible for the final analysis. They were asked 31 questions including seven on caregiver burden, 13 on disruption to daily routine, eight on how they positively adapted to the overall situation, and three on financial concerns.
The finding of the study, led by Dr. Amrita Rakesh, was published in Elsevier’s international peer-reviewed journal Cancer Treatment and Research Communications in June.
Dr. Abhishek Shankar, an associate professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology and one of the study’s authors, said that 54% of those surveyed considered the cancer patient a burden, while 55% admitted to having significant financial concerns about the treatment and management of the disease. .
Nearly 62 percent felt their daily routine had changed and about 38 percent of those surveyed said they positively adapted to the new situation over a period of time, Dr. Shankar said.
Caregivers were also interviewed for timely assessment of psychological distress.
“A strong correlation was found between caregivers with poor quality of life and the severity of psychological distress,” said the doctor.
Lead author Dr. Rakesh said the study took longer than proposed in the protocol due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in fewer people visiting the hospital for cancer treatment.
“As the focus on cancer care increases, there is also a need to focus on the well-being of caregivers. The quality of life of these caregivers can have a direct impact on the overall management of their patients.
“So there needs to be regular checking to identify carers who are already stressed or at risk of psychological distress and provide them with appropriate support as well,” added co-author Dr Pritanjali Singh, Associate Professor and Head of Radiation Oncology at AIIMS. , Patna.
The incidence of cancer has multiplied many times in recent years and has become one of the 10 leading causes of death globally according to the 2019 global health estimates of the World Health Organization, the study mentions.
Trachea, bronchus and lung deaths have increased from 1.2 million to 1.8 million, and now rank sixth among the leading causes of death globally. Stomach cancer ranks ninth in upper-middle-income countries, while colon and rectal cancers rank seventh among the leading causes of death in high-income countries, the study said.
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