Correlates of posttraumatic stress in cancer patients and their family caregivers across two years following diagnosis

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveTo examine risk‐factors of cancer‐related PTSS in the 2‐years post‐diagnosis in adult colorectal cancer patients and caregivers.MethodsPatients with colorectal cancer and their caregivers (N = 130 dyads) self‐reported sociodemographic, psychosocial, and medical factors at diagnosis/treatment initiation (T1), at 1‐ (T2), and 2‐year (T3) post‐diagnosis. Cancer‐related PTSS were assessed, and path analysis examined associations between proposed correlates and PTSS.ResultsAmong patients, higher neuroticism and greater physical symptom distress were concurrently associated with higher PTSS (Bs ≥ 0.10, ps ≤ 0.02); greater physical symptom distress at T1 and greater social support at T2 were associated with higher PTSS at T3 (Bs ≥ 0.37, ps ≤ 0.04). Among caregivers, female gender, higher neuroticism (Bs ≥ 0.12, ps < 0.01), and lower social support (Bs  ≤ −0.24, ps ≤ 0.02) were associated with higher concurrent PTSS; lower patient physical symptom distress and social support at T1 (Bs  ≤ −0.27, ps ≤ 0.03) and longer hours spent caregiving at T2 (B = 0.03, p = 0.05) were associated with higher PTSS at T3.ConclusionsFindings identify cancer‐specific risk factors (physical symptoms, hours caregiving), in addition to established risk factors (female, neuroticism, social support) in non‐medical populations. The identified subgroups should receive ongoing screening and psychosocial referral for cancer‐related PTSS.