Medical Faculty, Institute of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Center for Health Communication and Health Services Research (CHSR), University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Psychooncology. 2023 Aug;32(8):1231-1239. doi: 10.1002/pon.6173. Epub 2023 Jun 5.
More than one in 10 cancer patients care for dependent children. It is unclear whether this status makes a difference in terms of the distress and associated problems they experience, or whether it is linked to differences in the need for or utilization of psychosocial support.
Secondary analysis of a cross-sectional German study in National Comprehensive Cancer Centers using self-report standardized questionnaires administered to inpatients. Patients living with dependent children (n = 161) were matched by age and sex with a subsample of 161 cancer patients not living with dependent children. The resulting sample was tested for between-group differences in Distress Thermometer (DT) scores and the corresponding DT Problem List. Additionally, between-group differences in measures of the need for and utilization of psychosocial support were examined.
More than 50% of all patients suffered from clinically relevant distress. Patients living with dependent children reported significantly more practical (p < 0.001, η p = 0.04), family (p < 0.001, η p = 0.03), and emotional problems (p < 0.001, η p = 0.01). Although reporting a greater need for psychological support, parents with cancer were not found to more frequently utilize any type of psychosocial support.
The specific problems and needs of parents with cancer who care for dependent children are currently not sufficiently addressed in the clinical care pathways. All families should be helped to establish open and honest communication as well as understand the available support systems and what they can provide. Tailored interventions should be implemented for highly distressed families.
超过十分之一的癌症患者需要照顾依赖子女。目前尚不清楚这种情况是否会对他们所经历的痛苦和相关问题产生影响，或者是否与对心理社会支持的需求或利用的差异有关。
使用自我报告的标准化问卷对德国国家综合癌症中心的一项横断面研究进行二次分析，该问卷由住院患者完成。将与有依赖子女的患者（n=161）按年龄和性别与 161 名无依赖子女的癌症患者的亚组相匹配。对这一配对样本进行了测试，以比较其在 Distress Thermometer（DT）评分和相应的 DT 问题清单上的组间差异。此外，还研究了组间在心理社会支持的需求和利用方面的差异。
超过 50%的患者存在临床相关的痛苦。与无依赖子女的患者相比，有依赖子女的患者报告了更多的实际问题（p<0.001，η p=0.04）、家庭问题（p<0.001，η p=0.03）和情绪问题（p<0.001，η p=0.01）。尽管报告有更大的心理支持需求，但患有癌症的父母并没有发现更频繁地利用任何类型的心理社会支持。
目前，在临床护理路径中，无法充分解决照顾依赖子女的癌症患者的特殊问题和需求。所有家庭都应帮助建立开放和诚实的沟通，了解可用的支持系统以及它们可以提供什么。对于高度痛苦的家庭，应实施针对性的干预措施。
