Psychological health in siblings who lost a brother or sister to cancer 2 to 9 years earlier
2013 (English)In: Psycho-Oncology, ISSN 1057-9249, E-ISSN 1099-1611, Vol. 22, no 3, p. 683-691Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess long-term psychological distress in siblings who lost a brother or sister to cancer 2 to 9 years earlier, as compared with a control group of non-bereaved siblings from the general population.
METHODS: During 2009, we conducted a nationwide follow-up study in Sweden by using an anonymous study-specific questionnaire. Siblings who had lost a brother or sister to cancer between the years 2000 and 2007 and also a control group of non-bereaved siblings from the general population were invited to participate. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to measure psychological distress, and to test for differences in the ordinal outcome responses between the groups, we used Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney rank-sum test.
RESULTS: Among the bereaved siblings, 174/240 (73%) participated and 219/293 (75%) among the non-bereaved. Self-assessed low self-esteem (p = 0.002), difficulties falling asleep (p = 0.005), and low level of personal maturity (p = 0.007) at follow-up were more prevalent among bereaved siblings. However, anxiety (p = 0.298) and depression (p = 0.946), according to HADS, were similar.
CONCLUSION: Bereaved siblings are at increased risk of low self-esteem, low level of personal maturity and difficulties falling asleep as compared with non-bereaved peers. Yet, the bereaved were not more likely to report anxiety or depression.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Wiley-Blackwell, 2013. Vol. 22, no 3, p. 683-691
Keywords [en]
Evidence-based practice, Implementation, Leadership, Social work, Social services, Mixed methods approach
Keywords [sv]
Evidensbaserad praktik, Implementering, Ledarskap, Socialt arbete, Socialtjänst, Triangulering
National Category
Other Medical Sciences not elsewhere specified
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:esh:diva-5143DOI: 10.1002/pon.3053PubMedID: 22351568OAI: oai:DiVA.org:esh-5143DiVA, id: diva2:912857
2016-03-182016-03-182024-05-27Bibliographically approved