2022 World Conference on Lung Cancer (Posters)-P2.04-02. Psychosocial Burdens in Cancer Caregivership, an Updated Overview

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Cancer caregiver burden is a complex issue that encompasses various aspects such as social, physical, economic, and psychological factors. Caregivers who only report benefits or burdens have an increased risk of mortality. Interventions that aim to reduce caregiver burden and increase perceived benefits can support recipient longevity.<br /><br />Depression and social support are prevalent among caregivers of elderly cancer patients. Patients' depressive symptoms significantly impact the well-being of both patients and their family caregivers. A negative attribution style can worsen the association between caregiver stress and cortisol levels but does not affect caregivers' depressive symptoms. Cancer caregivers and patients often see treatment efforts as a source of hope and relief from the cognitive burden of cancer.<br /><br />Financial burden is a significant concern for family caregivers, with high treatment costs, reduced work hours, and high co-payments. Informal caregivers contribute a significant portion of total cancer treatment expenditures. Caregivers also face temporal anomie, where they must live in the present moment, leading to both benefits and discomfort.<br /><br />Cancer caregiving has a long-term impact on the quality of life of family caregivers. Depressive symptoms are prevalent among current caregivers, especially those supporting survivors. Anxiety about cancer recurrence is moderate among family caregivers. Pre-loss spirituality predicts post-loss distress in bereaved cancer caregivers, and a portion of caregivers may experience persistent grief disorder for several months after the loss.<br /><br />This overview highlights the complexity and various psychosocial burdens faced by cancer caregivers. Improved support and interventions are needed to address the multiple challenges faced by caregivers in order to enhance their well-being and improve patient outcomes.

Asset Subtitle

Csaba Dégi, Romania

Meta Tag

Speaker Csaba Dégi, Romania

Topic Nursing and Allied Health Professionals

Keywords

Cancer caregiver burden

psychosocial factors

mortality risk

depression

social support

financial burden

informal caregivers

quality of life

anxiety

patient outcomes