| Title: |
Chronic Stress, Depression and Immunity in Spouses of Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Mortimer, Jane S. Blake; Sephton, Sandra E.; Kimerling, Rachel; Butler, Lisa; Bernstein, Aaron S.; Spiegel, David |
| Source: |
Clinical Psychologist. Nov 2005 9(2):59-63. |
| Availability: |
Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals |
| Peer Reviewed: |
Y |
| Page Count: |
5 |
| Publication Date: |
2005 |
| Document Type: |
Journal Articles; Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: |
Spouses; Cancer; Identification; Patients; Psychology; Depression (Psychology); Stress Variables; Chronic Illness; Psychological Patterns; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Females; Correlation; Coping; Mental Health; Physical Health; Males |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: |
Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale |
| DOI: |
10.1080/13284200500221094 |
| ISSN: |
1328-4207 |
| Abstract: |
Objective: The objective of this study was to examine how the chronicity of stress affects psychological stress-responses, depressive symptoms, and "in vivo" immunocompetence in spouses of women with metastatic breast cancer. Methods: Participants were 34 spouses of breast cancer patients. Their wives had been living with a diagnosis of recurrence metastatic breast cancer for a mean of 2.3 (SD = 3.6) years. Stress chronicity was defined as the length of time since the partner's diagnosis with metastatic breast cancer. Self-reports of psychological stress responses (IES) and depression (CES-D) were taken, and in vivo immunocompetence was assessed by delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses to skin test antigens. Results: Clinically significant levels of depressive symptoms (CES-D greater than 16) were reported in 15% of participants. Suppression of the DTH response was greater in men who had been living longer with an ill spouse (Spearman r = -0.39, p = 0.011), those who reported more psychological stress (r = 0.37, p = 0.16), and those who had more severe depressive symptoms (r = -0.28, p = 0.054). There was no association between the duration of disease and spouse's depression, however, those who had been living longer with an ill partner reported less psychological stress. Conclusions: This study substantiates a relationship between depression and cell-mediated immunity in spouses with a seriously ill partner. Further, these results suggest that the duration of stress is an important factor of stress-induced immunosuppression. They also highlight the potential importance of interventions to alleviate depression among family members of cancer patients. (Contains 1 table.) |
| Abstractor: |
As Provided |
| Number of References: |
34 |
| Entry Date: |
2008 |
| Accession Number: |
EJ814714 |
| Database: |
ERIC |