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Couple distress after localised prostate cancer

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Abstract

Background

The experience of the diagnosis of prostate cancer is distressing for both men and their partners. The present study describes the prevalence of psychological distress in men with prostate cancer and their partners, and the predictors of adjustment outcomes.

Methods/design

A cross-sectional survey of 189 prostate cancer patients who were scheduled for or had undergone surgery for localised prostate cancer and their partners assessed socio-demographic variables, masculine self-esteem and social intimacy, psychological adjustment and quality of life.

Results

Overall, patients and partners reported low distress; however, female partners were more anxious with 36 % reporting mild to severe anxiety. For men, masculine self-esteem and time since diagnosis were most strongly related to mental health status; urinary bother most influenced physical quality of life. For female partners, the man’s psychological distress and his sexual bother were most strongly related to her mental health status; higher social intimacy was most strongly associated with physical quality of life.

Conclusion

The correlates of distress after the diagnosis of prostate cancer differ between patients and female partners. For men, masculine self-esteem may be most crucial, whereas for women, her partner’s level of distress may matter most. Research to better understand these interactions is needed.

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Acknowledgments

This project was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (ID496001) and Andrology Australia. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand, of Mr Bill McHugh and Mr Spence Broughton as consumer advisors in the undertaking of this research and of Miss Leah Zajdlewicz for her assistance with the analysis.

Conflict of interest

There are no conflicts of interest for any of the authors.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia

    Suzanne K. Chambers

  2. Cancer Council Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    Suzanne K. Chambers, Lisa Nielsen, Samantha Clutton & Jeff Dunn

  3. Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, Sydney, Australia

    Suzanne K. Chambers

  4. Department of Behavioral Science, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA

    Leslie Schover

  5. School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    Kim Halford

  6. University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    Robert A. Gardiner

  7. Department of Urology, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, Australia

    Robert A. Gardiner

  8. School of Public Health, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia

    Jeff Dunn

  9. School of Social Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    Jeff Dunn

  10. Griffith Health Institute and School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia

    Stefano Occhipinti

  11. Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Brisbane, Queensland, 4222, Australia

    Suzanne K. Chambers

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  1. Suzanne K. Chambers
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  2. Leslie Schover
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Correspondence to Suzanne K. Chambers.

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Chambers, S.K., Schover, L., Nielsen, L. et al. Couple distress after localised prostate cancer. Support Care Cancer 21, 2967–2976 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-013-1868-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-013-1868-6

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