Informal caregiving in head and neck cancer: caregiving activities and psychological well-being
Open accessAbstract
The purpose of this study was to quantify the general cancer support activities that long-term carers of head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors engage in; and the relationships between these care activities and psychological well-being. Respondents answered a survey detailing their caring activities, the amount of time that they spent on those activities and how comfortable they felt engaging in them. Psychological well-being was assessed by the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21. A total of 197 carers took part in the study. The majority (76%) were women, mean age 57.4. Mean time since diagnosis was 6.2 years. In the past month, 45% of carers did not spend any extra time per week helping their relative/friend with general caring activities such as cleaning the house; 31% spent 1-19 hr/week and 23% spent 20 or more hours/week doing so. Most carers were comfortable assisting their relative/friend, though more carers felt uncomfortable assisting with HNC-specific support tasks (31% uncomfortable helping with medication) compared with general support tasks (7% uncomfortable helping with appointments). Feeling uncomfortable with head and neck-specific care tasks was a significant predictor of experiencing depression and anxiety.
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In one study on head and neck cancer, informal caregivers felt greater distress when assisting with caregiving tasks related to cancer-specific care than those related to general supportive care.
“In one study on head and neck cancer, informal caregivers felt greater distress when assisting with caregiving tasks related to cancer-specific care (e.g. helping with medications) than those related to general supportive care (e.g. coordinating appointments) [39].”
From Systematic review of caregiver burden, unmet needs and quality-of-life among informal caregivers of patients with pancreatic cancer (2023) · cites this paper as [39]
Feeling uncomfortable with cancer-specific care was predictive of informal caregivers' anxiety and depression.
“Feeling uncomfortable with cancer-specific care was predictive of informal caregivers’ anxiety and depression [39].”
From Systematic review of caregiver burden, unmet needs and quality-of-life among informal caregivers of patients with pancreatic cancer (2023) · cites this paper as [39]
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Informal caregiver burden for solid tumour cancer patients: a review and future directions
Thana, K., Lehto, R., Sikorskii, A., & Wyatt, G. (2021) · Psychology & Health · doi:10.1080/08870446.2020.1867136 · Cited by 97 · see citing works
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“Feeling uncomfortable with cancer-specific care was predictive of informal caregivers’ anxiety and depression [39].”
Self-citation
- Authors
- Balfe, M., O'Brien, K. M., Timmons, A., Butow, P., O'Sullivan, E., Gooberman-Hill, R., & Sharp, L.
- Affiliations
- National Cancer Registry (IE)
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- School of Dentistry; University College Cork; Cork Ireland
- Musculskeletal Research Unit; University of Bristol; Bristol UK
- Corresponding author
- Balfe, M.
- Venue
- European Journal of Cancer Care
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2016-06-07
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- e12520
- ISSN
- 0961-5423 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2415359284
- Cited by
- 25
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 6.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- European Journal of Cancer Care (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Newcastle University ePrints (Newcastle Univesity)
- Funders
- Health Research Board
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Nursing care and research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Otorhinolaryngology › Head and Neck Cancer Studies
- Keywords
- informal care, head and neck cancer, cancer survivors, psychological well-being, depression, anxiety, caregiver burden, caregiver comfort, medication support, caregiver time
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Anxiety, Depressive Disorder, Female, Head and Neck Neoplasms, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Risk Factors, Social Support, Stress, Psychological, Logistic Models, Caregivers, Self Efficacy
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