The psychosocial impact of prostate cancer on patients and their partners.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the psychosocial impact of the diagnosis of either localised or metastatic prostate cancer (PCA) on patients and their female partners.


METHODS
Observational, prospective study at Time 1 and 6 months later at Time 2 of two groups of couples facing PCA. Time 1 was when patients were first diagnosed with histologically confirmed localised (potentially curable) PCA or metastatic (incurable) PCA.


METHODS
Depression and anxiety disorders according to the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders 4th edition (DSM-IV); psychological distress; marital satisfaction.


RESULTS
At Time 1, partners had rates of DSM-IV major depression and generalised anxiety disorder twice those of women in the Australian community, and considerably higher than the patients' rates. At Time 2, psychological distress in partners had lessened but that in patients had increased. On the other hand, at Time 2, partners' marital satisfaction had deteriorated.


CONCLUSIONS
To be fully effective, interventions aimed at reducing the psychosocial morbidity of PCA must involve both patient and partner, rather than the patient alone.
Couper
Jeremy W
JW
Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. couperjw@svhm.org.au
Bloch
Sidney
S
Love
Anthony
A
Duchesne
Gillian
G
Macvean
Michelle
M
Kissane
David W
DW
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires