Review shows carers undervalued and under stress
With cancer patients living longer, carers in Australia are finding it increasingly difficult to cope, reporting health issues including stress, anxiety, burnout and depression, according to a study published in Cancer Forum.
The review of literature on unpaid care giving highlights a range of health and other issues for carers of cancer patients, noting that in carers of advanced cancer patients, between 32% and 70% have experienced high level distress or depressive symptoms suggesting clinical depression.
According to the author, Professor Anne Wilkinson, from the Western Australian Centre for Cancer and Palliative Care, despite their crucial role (carers’ replacement value is estimated at $30.5 billion annually), carers’ needs are often neglected or underappreciated, including by palliative care health professionals.
