Awareness of psychological and relationship problems amongst brain tumour patients and its association with carer distress

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research was to investigate if brain tumour patients underestimate the severity of their impairments and the impact of this behaviour on carer distress . This study also aimed to identify the support services that patients and carers experiencing distress would find most beneficial. METHOD: A total of 32 post-surgery brain tumour patients, their carers, and a control group of 29 patients following surgery to extra-cerebral areas and their carers were recruited from outpatient clinics. Patients and carers rated the patient's psychological well-being and the impact of a range of changes since diagnosis/surgery. Patients and carers also rated their own level of distress and the support services they would find most beneficial. RESULTS: When compared with the control group, brain tumour patients were more likely to underestimate their psychological problems (p < 0.005) and the negative impact of changes to their emotional function (p < 0.05), interpersonal relationships (p < 0.05), cognition (p < 0.05) and coping skills (p<0.05). A multiple regression analysis showed that underestimation of psychological and interpersonal problems by brain tumour patients explained 35% of the variance in their carer's anxiety. CONCLUSION: The finding of reduced awareness or denial in brain tumour patients and its contribution to increased carer anxiety highlights the need for therapeutic interventions, which improve patient insight/denial and encourage patient and carer communication.