Depression, anxiety and stress levels in caregivers of palliative patients: a descriptive, cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Caregiving of the palliative patient is a stressful and challenging condition, affecting the caregiver’s physical, emotional,psychological, and social well-being. This study aimed to determine depression, anxiety, and stress levels of the caregivers of palliative carepatients.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with caregivers (n=234) in a palliative care unit of a hospital in Balıkesir and Edirne betweenApril 2018 and January 2019. The data were collected by a socio-demographic questionnaire and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS).Results: Severe and extremely severe depression was detected in 20.1% of the caregivers of palliative patients. Anxiety and stress were found in32% and 12.4% of the respondents, respectively. The DASS score was higher in participants who had a chronic disease or were living with thepatients.Conclusions: Providing psychosocial support to caregivers of palliative patients may improve the quality of life of both the patients and thecaregivers. Necessary interventions are recommended not only to the patients but also to the caregivers.