Brain Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Brain Cancer, including details on symptoms, benign and malignant tumors, gliomas, treatment.

Predictors of distress in caregivers of persons with a primary malignant brain tumor.

Sherwood PR, Given BA, Given CW, Schiffman RF, Murman DL, Lovely M, von Eye A, Rogers LR, Remer S

School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.

The purpose of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to identify predictors of distress for family caregivers of persons with a primary malignant brain tumor (PMBT). The effect of the care recipient's functional, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric status on caregiver burden and depressive symptoms was examined through telephone interviews with 95 caregivers. Care recipients' neuropsychiatric status consistently affected caregivers' depressive symptoms and burden, and assisting with activities of daily living affected burden related to caregivers' schedules and health. The care recipient's cognitive status and need for assistance with instrumental activities of daily living did not affect any outcome variable. Results may help identify caregivers at risk for negative outcomes, and suggest interventions to improve caregivers' emotional health.

Published 20 March 2006 in Res Nurs Health, 29(2): 105-20.
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