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Autore: Bovero A., Cherasco P., Torta R.
Pubblicato nel numero: Year XXXVIII January – June 2010 – Number 67 – SUPPLEMENT (contributions to XXI Congr. SIPI “The encouragement strategies...", 2009)
Parole chiave: Encouragement, Cancer, Psycho-Oncology, Research in psychotherapy, Psychological intervention

Efficacy of the encouragement strategies to caregivers of terminal cancer patients

067_CD_Bovero et Alii

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Summary. The objectives of this study are to analyze caregiver burden and the efficacy of encouragement strategies to caregivers of cancer patients at the end of their life. Fifty caregivers recruited from Psycho-Oncology Unity in Hospice Valletta and at home, were subjected to a brief psychotherapy. The sample were assessed at baseline visit (T0) and after 10 weeks with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y1-Y2) that assessed caregiver depression and anxiety and the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) that investigate caregiver burden. A significant reduction (p<0.01) in BDI and CBI scores were observed. With the worsening of the clinical conditions for the terminal patient, anxiety increased in caregiver. This study showed that depression, anxiety and care burden were highly prevalent among cancer patient caregivers and highlighted the utility of encouraging psychotherapy to caregiver of terminal cancer patients.

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