Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts in Anxious or Depressed Family Caregivers of Patients with Cancer: A Nationwide Survey in Korea

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in family caregivers (FCs) of patients with cancer and to identify the factors associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in FCs with anxiety or depression.Methods: A national, multicenter survey administered to 897 FCs asked questions concerning suicidal ideation and suicide attempts during the previous year and assessed anxiety, depression, socio-demographic factors, caregiving burden, patient factors, and quality of life (QOL).Results: A total of 17.7% FCs reported suicidal ideation, and 2.8% had attempted suicide during the previous year. Among FCs with anxiety, 31.9% had suicidal ideation and 4.7% attempted suicide; the corresponding values for FCs with depression were 20.4% and 3.3%, respectively. Compared with FCs without anxiety and depression, FCs with anxiety or depression showed a higher adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for suicidal ideation (aOR = 4.07 and 1.93, respectively) and attempts (OR = 3.00 and 2.43, respectively). Among FCs with anxiety or depression, being female, unmarried, unemployed during caregiving, and having a low QOL were associated with increased odds of suicidal ideation. FCs with anxiety who became unemployed during caregiving constituted a high-risk group for suicide. Being unmarried and having a low QOL with respect to financial matters were associated with increased suicide attempts among FCs with depression. Conclusion:FCs with anxiety or depression were at high risk of suicide. Interventions to enhance social support and to improve perceived QOL may help prevent suicide and manage suicidal ideation in FCs with anxiety or depression.

Prevalence and factors associated with suicidal ideation among family caregivers of people with mental disorders

“…Advanced age was a protection factor for the outcome, confirming the national (Botega et al, ) and international literature (Lee et al, ) regarding a greater suicide ideation tendency among younger individuals. This result is also corroborated by a study conducted with family caregivers of people with cancer, for whom an inverse relationship between age and risk of suicide ideation was found (Park et al, ).…”

“…The study conducted with caregivers of people with dementia (O'Dwyer et al, ) indicated that 16% of participants had thought about committing suicide during the year preceding the interview. Similar values were found among family caregivers of people with cancer by a study conducted in South Korea (Park et al, ), which estimated a prevalence of suicidal ideation of 17.7% among participants during the year preceding the interview.…”

“…Among caregivers of people with mental disorders, the literature about suicide is still incipient, even internationally. However, studies conducted with caregivers of people with dementia (O'Dwyer et al, ) and people with cancer (Park et al, ) can be a reference to compare the data presented in this study.…”

Palliative Care Emergencies in Hospitalized Patients

“…Families vary in how they cope with stressful situations, influenced by their adaptability and cohesiveness [32]. Many FCG contemplate suicide, with 20% of FCG in one survey reporting suicidal ideation and 3% attempting suicide during the previous year [34]. Behaviors may include conflict among family members, dissatisfaction with care, or with depression and anxiety.…”

Psychometric Properties and Correlates of the Beck Hopelessness Scale in Family Caregivers of Nigerian Patients with Psychiatric Disorders in Southwestern Nigeria

“…[15] Studies have also reported that family caregivers with depression or anxiety due to the burden of caregiving have a higher prevalence of suicidal ideation and were at an elevated risk for suicide. [19] Hopelessness in caregivers may reduce their stress absorbing abilities and increased levels of hope has been reported to have statistically significant correlations with reduced psychological dysfunctions among caregivers. [14] The most globally recognized and utilized scale for the measurement and quantification of hopelessness is the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS).…”