Unrelieved symptoms of female cancer patients during their last months of life and long-term psychological morbidity in their widowers: A nationwide population-based study

Abstract 

Aim

To investigate if a cancer patient’s unrelieved symptoms during the last 3months of life increase the risk of long-term psychological morbidity in the surviving widower.

Methods

Men (n=907) younger than 80years and living in Sweden, who had lost their wives due to cancer, were asked 4–5years after their loss to answer an anonymous postal questionnaire that included questions about their current psychological morbidity and their wives’ unrelieved symptoms during the last 3months of life.

Results

If the wife suffered unrelieved anxiety or pain during the last 3months of her life, then the widowers had a higher risk of sleep-related problems 4–5years after the loss. When the wife had suffered from anxiety, the relative risks (RR) for the widowers’ sleep-related problems were: difficulty falling asleep (RR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0–3.0) and waking up at night with anxiety (RR 4.9, 95% CI 1.5–15.7). When the wife had unrelieved pain, the widowers years later had an increased risk of difficulty falling asleep at night (RR 1.8, 95% CI 1.0–3.3).

Conclusions

The unrelieved patients’ end-of-life problems increase the risk of widowers’ long-term mental suffering. Efficient and effective diagnoses and treatment of pain and anxiety in terminally ill cancer patients are critical for both patients and their surviving widowers.

Keywords: Cancer, Terminal care, Symptom control, Bereavement, Family, Psychological morbidity