[Male partners of cancer patients with underage children - psychological distress in comparison to the general population and the diseased partner].

The psychological distress of men with underage children, whose female partners have cancer, was examined using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The sample (N=141) was compared with the partners who have cancer and a comparison group of men from the general population (N=154). The male partners of cancer patients were psychological strongly distressed. About half of the partners showed increased scores in anxiety and one third of the partners had a high level of depression. There was a high correlation within the couple. The male partners of cancer patients were significantly more distressed than the comparison group of men with underage children from the general population. It is very important to assess psychosocial support needs of partners of cancer patients and to provide adequate options of possible psychosocial treatment.