Health Risk Factors in Caregivers of Terminal Cancer Patients A Pilot Study
Health Risk Factors in Caregivers of Terminal Cancer Patients A Pilot Study
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DOI：
10.1097/ncc.0b013e31820d0c23
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发表时间：
2012-01-01
期刊：
影响因子：
2.6
通讯作者：
Palomba, Daniela
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Cora, Alice;Partinico, Manuela;Palomba, Daniela
背景资料：大量的文献支持长期支持受损的重要他人和增加健康风险之间的联系。抑郁、心率升高和静息时血压是健康风险的关键指标，主要是心血管风险，这些风险通常在受痴呆症或慢性疾病影响的患者的照顾者中进行研究。有限的研究已经进行了情绪和心血管影响的家庭照顾末期癌症患者。目的：本研究的目的是探讨晚期癌症照顾者的心理和心血管反应。研究方法：对20名为晚期癌症患者提供家庭或临终关怀的亲属照顾者和20名年龄和性别匹配的对照者进行了访谈和情绪困扰评估。在4个单独的时间段中记录静息时心血管风险、血压和心率的测量值。结果：与对照组相比，照顾者报告了更高水平的抑郁、状态焦虑和更多的睡眠障碍。他们还发现在某些测量中收缩压和舒张压升高。此外，心率的升高与运动长度相关。结论：护理压力源与相当大的心理脆弱性、睡眠障碍和心血管系统改变的风险相关，这些似乎受到护理特征的调节。实践的启示：这项研究表明，筛选照顾者的心理以及身体症状和障碍的重要性。认识到晚期癌症照顾者的负担，可以及时采取积极的预防性干预措施，以减少不良后果。
Background: A large body of literature sustains the association between long-lasting caregiving for impaired significant others and increased health risk. Depression, elevated heart rate, and blood pressure at rest are key measures of health risk, mostly cardiovascular, which have been generally studied in caregivers of patients affected by dementia or chronic illness. Limited research has been conducted on emotional and cardiovascular impact of family caregiving for terminally ill cancer patients. Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine psychological and cardiovascular responses in terminal cancer caregivers. Methods: Twenty relative caregivers who provided in-home or hospice care to terminally ill cancer patients and 20 age-and gender-matched controls were interviewed and assessed for emotional distress. Measures of cardiovascular risk, blood pressure, and heart rate were recorded at rest in 4 separate sessions. Results: Caregivers reported higher levels of depression, state anxiety, and more sleep dysfunctions than controls. They also revealed heightened systolic and diastolic blood pressure in some measurements. Moreover, elevation of heart rate was associated with caregiving length. Conclusions: The caregiving stressor is associated with considerable psychological vulnerability, sleep disorders, and risk of alterations in the cardiovascular system, which seem to be modulated by caregiving characteristics. Implications for Practice: This study shows the importance of screening caregivers for psychological as well as physical symptoms and disorders. An awareness of burden of terminal cancer caregivers could lead to timely proactive preventive interventions on their physical and mental health, to decrease negative outcomes.