title: Change in psychological distress in longer-term oesophageal cancer carers: are clusters of illness perception change a useful determinant?
abstract: This study provides a longitudinal assessment of distress in longer-term oesophageal cancer carers, while examining illness perception schema as a possible determinant of change in distress over time.
  
  
  
  Oesophageal cancer carers (n = 171), 48 months post-diagnosis, were assessed at baseline and 12 months later with the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised, Cancer Coping Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Concerns About Recurrence Scale.
  
  
  
  Findings report deterioration from normal to probable anxiety in 35.7% of carers and probable depression in 28.7% carers over time. Fear of recurrence remained stable. Changes in control, consequence and cause beliefs were identified as key determinants of a change in psychological morbidity.
  
  
  
  Illness beliefs appear to be valuable targets for psychological intervention to improve wellbeing among carers of people with oesophageal cancer. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dempster
authors.affiliation: Marie Curie Cancer Care Belfast, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Noleen K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: McCorry
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donnelly
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Brian T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Johnston
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D006113:United Kingdom