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Informal caregivers of older Muslims diagnosed with cancer: A portrait of depression, social support, and faith

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 June 2021

Lea Baider ,
Gil Goldzweig Open the ORCID record for Gil Goldzweig [Opens in a new window] ,
Jeremy M. Jacobs ,
Ibtisam M. Ghrayeb ,
Eli Sapir  and
Yakir Rottenberg
Lea Baider
Affiliation:
Assuta Medical Center, Oncology Institute, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Gil Goldzweig*
Affiliation:
School of Behavioral Sciences, Tel-Aviv-Yaffo Academic College, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Jeremy M. Jacobs
Affiliation:
Geriatrics and Geriatric Rehabilitation Department, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
Ibtisam M. Ghrayeb
Affiliation:
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Makassed Hospital, East Jerusalem, Palestine, Israel
Eli Sapir
Affiliation:
Radiation Oncology Department, Samson Assuta Ashdod University Hospital, Ashdod, Israel
Yakir Rottenberg
Affiliation:
School of Behavioral Sciences, Tel-Aviv-Yaffo Academic College, Tel-Aviv, Israel Sharett Oncology Institute, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
*
Author for correspondence: Gil Goldzweig, Yasmin 3a Street, Mazkeret-Batya, Israel. E-mail: giligold@mta.ac.il
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Abstract

Objective

Islamic population constitute more than 20% of the world population and is growing rapidly. Nevertheless, data concerning informal caregiving to older Muslim patients diagnosed with cancer are scarce. Improving the well-being of caregivers is a vital step to optimal care for the patients themselves throughout the Muslim community and the world. This study focuses on a sample of Palestinian caregivers of older Muslim patients diagnosed with cancer living in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. The study aims to describe the socio-demographic characteristics of the caregivers and to understand their social support, and identify predictors of caregivers’ depression.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of a convenience sample of 99 dyads of Palestinian patients (age ≥65) and their informal caregivers. Depression and social support were measured using the five items of the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Cancer Perceived Agents of Social Support questionnaire.

Results

Caregivers were most frequently adult children (52%) or spouses (32%), with male patients cared for by spouses (47.5%) or sons (32%), and female patients by daughters (50%). Clinical levels of depression were reported by 76% of the caregivers and 85% of patients. The significant predictors of caregiver depression were female gender, lower education, lower perceived social support from spouse and family, and higher perceived support from faith.

Significance of results

Healthcare providers serving the study population should determine the position and role of the caregiver within the social and family structure surrounding the patients’ families. This understanding may facilitate overcoming barriers to effective and meaningful social support.

Keywords

Cancer patientsCaregiversDepressionElderlyMuslim ArabsPerceived social support
Type
Original Article
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 19 , Issue 5 , October 2021 , pp. 598 - 604
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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