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Chronic Stress, Depression and Immunity in Spouses of Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients

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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
FullText Text:
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  Data: Chronic Stress, Depression and Immunity in Spouses of Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mortimer%2C+Jane+S%2E+Blake%22">Mortimer, Jane S. Blake</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sephton%2C+Sandra+E%2E%22">Sephton, Sandra E.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kimerling%2C+Rachel%22">Kimerling, Rachel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Butler%2C+Lisa%22">Butler, Lisa</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bernstein%2C+Aaron+S%2E%22">Bernstein, Aaron S.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Spiegel%2C+David%22">Spiegel, David</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Clinical+Psychologist%22"><i>Clinical Psychologist</i></searchLink>. Nov 2005 9(2):59-63.
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  Data: 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
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spouses%22">Spouses</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cancer%22">Cancer</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Identification%22">Identification</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Patients%22">Patients</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology%22">Psychology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Depression+%28Psychology%29%22">Depression (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stress+Variables%22">Stress Variables</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chronic+Illness%22">Chronic Illness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+Patterns%22">Psychological Patterns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Symptoms+%28Individual+Disorders%29%22">Symptoms (Individual Disorders)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Females%22">Females</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Correlation%22">Correlation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Coping%22">Coping</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Health%22">Mental Health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physical+Health%22">Physical Health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Males%22">Males</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Center+for+Epidemiologic+Studies+Depression+Scale%22">Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1080/13284200500221094
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1328-4207
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: 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.)
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  Data: 2008
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        Value: 10.1080/13284200500221094
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 5
        StartPage: 59
    Subjects:
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cancer
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      – SubjectFull: Identification
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