Clinical study of preoperative psychological distress and its related factors in the primary caregivers of patients with glioma

Objective: To investigate the preoperative psychological distress in the primary caregivers of glioma patients and its influencing factors and to determine the relationship between preoperative psychological states of glioma patients and their caregivers. Methods: Using a mixed methods design, the caregivers of patients with malignant glioma were interviewed and completed questionnaires about anxiety/depression and family function during preoperative period. Results: Caregivers of glioma patients had different types of psychological distress before surgery. A total of 46 caregivers (36.5 %) had preoperative psychological depression or anxiety symptom; 30 caregivers (23.8 %) had depression symptoms, 39 caregivers (31.0 %) had anxiety symptoms, and 23 (18.3 %) had both preoperative anxiety and depression symptoms. Female gender was an influential factor for both preoperative depression and anxiety symptoms in caregivers, surgical information was a risk factor for caregivers' preoperative depression symptoms and residence was a risk factor for caregivers' preoperative anxiety symptoms. The preoperative psychological states of patients was positively correlated with the preoperative anxiety and depression symptoms of caregivers. Conclusion: The rural female caregivers are more likely to experience psychological distress before surgery, and the preoperative psychological states of patients was positively correlated with the psychological distress in caregivers.