Anxiety and depression in relatives of patients with cancer

Life-threatening diseases to the family of cancer patient are psychotraumatic situation and present a difficult challenge. The aim of the study was to evaluate the psychopathological symptoms, namely the manifestations of anxiety and depression in relatives of cancer patients at different stages of the disease and depending on the level of adaptation of the family system. Contingent and research methods. The study involved 288 families with a cancer patient, with women in 174 families, and men in 144 ones. At the stage of primary contact with cancer, there were 78 families with women and 51 families with men, and 96 and 63 families, respectively, after the recurrence of the disease. Among the interviewed families, 55 families were classified as “adapted”, 127 were “borderline”, 106 were “disadapted”. HADS was used to assess the psychopathological symptoms of anxiety and depression. Results. The psycho-emotional state of relatives cancer patients was determined by the combination of the influence of a number of factors, which included the stage of the disease, the level of family adaptation, gender component. The increase in psychopathological symptoms, both depressive and anxious, led to the continuation of the disease as a result of the growing needs of the patient and the need for psychosocial support. Violation of family adaptation correlated with the severity of psychopathological manifestations. The psycho-emotional state of women was dominated by the anxiety state, while the men had relatively higher depressive manifestations. Conclusions. Psychocorrection of emotional state of cancer patient’s relatives and stabilization of the family system are important components of medical-psychological help in oncology practic