Preloss psychosocial resources predict depressive-symptom trajectories among terminally ill cancer patients' caregivers in their first two years of bereavement

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KUO, Su-Ching | WEN, Fur-Hsing | CHEN, Jen-Shi | CHOU, Wen-Chi | SHEN, Wen-Chi | TANG, Siew Tzuh

CONTEXT: Postloss depressive-symptom trajectories are heterogeneous and predicted by preloss psychosocial resources, but this evidence was from one old study on terminal cancer patients' caregivers for whom these issues are highly relevant. OBJECTIVES: To identify depressive-symptom trajectories among cancer patients' bereaved caregivers and examine if they are predicted by preloss psychosocial resources while considering caregiving burden. METHODS: Preloss psychosocial resources (sense of coherence [SOC] and social support) were measured among 282 caregivers. Depressive symptoms were measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression [CES-D] scale 1, 3, 6, 13, 18, and 24 months postloss (CES-D scores >16 indicate severe depressive symptoms). Distinct depressive-symptom trajectories and their predictors were identified by latent-class growth analysis. RESULTS: We identified five depressive-symptom trajectories (prevalence): endurance (47.2%), resilience (16.7%), transient-reaction (20.2%), prolonged symptomatic (11.7%), and chronically distressed (4.2%). Over 2 years postloss, the endurance group never experienced severe depressive symptoms. Severe depressive symptoms lasted 6, 7-12, and 18 months for the resilience, transient-reaction, and prolonged-symptomatic groups, respectively. The chronically distressed group's severe depressive symptoms persisted. The endurance and chronically distressed groups had the best and weakest psychological resources, respectively. Endurance-group caregivers perceived the greatest social support, whereas the resilience and transient-reaction groups had higher social support than the prolonged-symptomatic group. CONCLUSIONS: Most (84.1%) caregivers' depressive symptoms subsided within 1-year postloss. Preloss psychosocial resources predicted depressive-symptom trajectories for bereaved caregivers. Healthcare professionals can help caregivers adjust their bereavement by providing support to enhance their SOC and encouraging social contacts while they are providing end-of-life care.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2019.04.003

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