Understanding the Mental Health Impact of Mesothelioma

Understanding the Mental Health Impact of Mesothelioma

ByHolly Zink

Living with mesothelioma can be very challenging for both patients and their families. Mesothelioma is an incurable cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. A recent study was published in the European Journal of Oncology Nursing. Scientists investigated the impact of mesothelioma on mental health and well-being. They also looked at the frequency of mental health conditions among patients and informal caregivers. The Hidden Struggle The study involved a survey of mesothelioma patients and informal caregivers. It also used semi-structured interviews with a smaller group of participants. The survey used validated scales to assess various mental health aspects. These included health-related quality of life, anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, and posttraumatic growth. The results showed significant challenges faced by both patients and…

New Tool Measures Stress Levels Among Mesothelioma Caregivers
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New Tool Measures Stress Levels Among Mesothelioma Caregivers

ByAlex Strauss

Preliminary tests of a new tool designed to measure stress levels among mesothelioma caregivers shows that the tool is both reliable and helpful.  The tool was developed by occupational medicine researchers in Rome. Their goal was to create a “short, flexible, and comprehensive tool” to detect psychological distress in carers.  The team recently tested the tool in a group of mesothelioma caregivers. Their results have just been published in the journal Psycho-Oncology.  The Strain of Caring for a Loved One with Mesothelioma Malignant mesothelioma is a highly lethal type of membrane cancer. Most mesothelioma patients lived or worked around asbestos.  Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of mesothelioma. It affects about 2,000 people in the US every year. Another…