title: Informal caregivers of advanced-stage cancer patients: Every second is at risk for psychiatric morbidity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Informal caregivers of advanced cancer patients are known to suffer from high distress due to their caregiving responsibilities. Nevertheless, a comprehensive evaluation of psychiatric morbidity is often missing in clinical practice due to time resources, and mental health problems may be unnoticed in this population. A feasible approach is needed to identify caregivers at risk for psychiatric disorders to offer targeted interventions and enhance their well-being.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional, multi-institutional study screened 345 caregivers of advanced cancer patients for psychiatric disorders (i.e., depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and alcohol abuse/dependence) and assessed factors potentially associated with mental health diagnoses (including socio-demographic factors, burden, hope, caring-related quality of life, and coping preferences).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, almost 52 % of participants had one or more suspected psychiatric disorders, with anxiety being the most prevalent. Perceived hope, higher burden, and more emotion-oriented coping were associated with psychiatric morbidity in this sample. Spouses and parents showed significantly more symptoms of psychiatric disorders than other relatives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms the high risk of informal caregivers of advanced cancer patients to develop psychiatric disorders and suggests a practically feasible approach to identify at risk caregivers to offer support.
authors.affiliation: Division of Palliative Care, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria. tamara.rumpold@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rumpold
authors.affiliation: Division of Palliative Care, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schur
authors.affiliation: Division of Social Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amering
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kirchheiner
authors.affiliation: Division of Palliative Care, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Masel
authors.affiliation: Division of Palliative Care, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watzke
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schrank
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control*
keywords: Burden; Cancer; Caregiver; Mental health; Palliative care; Psychiatric morbidity