Impact of cancer on primary caregivers of patients receiving radiation therapy

The main objective of this study was to assess the consequences of caregivi ng on primary caregivers of Greek cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. S ixty-five caregivers participated in the study and data were collected thro ugh structured interviews. Our results pointed to a lack of association con cerning extent of patients' disease. treatment schedule, performance Status or awareness of diagnosis, However, female caregivers with low qualificati ons, partners, and those living with the patient were more likely to report heightened symptoms of anxiety and depression, severe impact of caregiving on their lives, poor health and low quality of life. In addition. it was s hown through multivariate analyses that psychological distress was the sole predictor of overall health and global quality of life. In conclusion, Gre ek caregivers are to a great extent affected by the disease. Caring for sig nificant others is essential to promoting quality of life for the family an d the patient.