TY - JOUR
T1 - Couple distress after localised prostate cancer
AU - Chambers, Suzanne K.
AU - Schover, Leslie
AU - Nielsen, Lisa
AU - Halford, Kim
AU - Clutton, Samantha
AU - Gardiner, Robert A.
AU - Dunn, Jeff
AU - Occhipinti, Stefano
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments This project was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (ID496001) and Andrology Australia. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand, of Mr Bill McHugh and Mr Spence Broughton as consumer advisors in the undertaking of this research and of Miss Leah Zajdlewicz for her assistance with the analysis.
PY - 2013/11
Y1 - 2013/11
N2 - Background: The experience of the diagnosis of prostate cancer is distressing for both men and their partners. The present study describes the prevalence of psychological distress in men with prostate cancer and their partners, and the predictors of adjustment outcomes. Methods/design: A cross-sectional survey of 189 prostate cancer patients who were scheduled for or had undergone surgery for localised prostate cancer and their partners assessed socio-demographic variables, masculine self-esteem and social intimacy, psychological adjustment and quality of life. Results: Overall, patients and partners reported low distress; however, female partners were more anxious with 36 % reporting mild to severe anxiety. For men, masculine self-esteem and time since diagnosis were most strongly related to mental health status; urinary bother most influenced physical quality of life. For female partners, the man's psychological distress and his sexual bother were most strongly related to her mental health status; higher social intimacy was most strongly associated with physical quality of life. Conclusion: The correlates of distress after the diagnosis of prostate cancer differ between patients and female partners. For men, masculine self-esteem may be most crucial, whereas for women, her partner's level of distress may matter most. Research to better understand these interactions is needed.
AB - Background: The experience of the diagnosis of prostate cancer is distressing for both men and their partners. The present study describes the prevalence of psychological distress in men with prostate cancer and their partners, and the predictors of adjustment outcomes. Methods/design: A cross-sectional survey of 189 prostate cancer patients who were scheduled for or had undergone surgery for localised prostate cancer and their partners assessed socio-demographic variables, masculine self-esteem and social intimacy, psychological adjustment and quality of life. Results: Overall, patients and partners reported low distress; however, female partners were more anxious with 36 % reporting mild to severe anxiety. For men, masculine self-esteem and time since diagnosis were most strongly related to mental health status; urinary bother most influenced physical quality of life. For female partners, the man's psychological distress and his sexual bother were most strongly related to her mental health status; higher social intimacy was most strongly associated with physical quality of life. Conclusion: The correlates of distress after the diagnosis of prostate cancer differ between patients and female partners. For men, masculine self-esteem may be most crucial, whereas for women, her partner's level of distress may matter most. Research to better understand these interactions is needed.
KW - Couples
KW - Partners
KW - Prostate cancer
KW - Psychosocial adjustment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84885574504&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00520-013-1868-6
DO - 10.1007/s00520-013-1868-6
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 23756617
AN - SCOPUS:84885574504
SN - 0941-4355
VL - 21
SP - 2967
EP - 2976
JO - Supportive Care in Cancer
JF - Supportive Care in Cancer
IS - 11
ER -
