Mental health worries for spouses of people with cancer

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-08-16 01:00

International

CC:0

***This media release contains information some readers may find distressing as it refers to data about mental health, suicide and self-harm. If you or anyone you know needs help, support is available now. Call Lifeline (Aus) on 131 114 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, or Lifeline (NZ) on 0800 543 354. ***
International researchers say we should be paying closer attention to the spouses of people diagnosed with cancer, as they suggest a heightened risk for suicide among those affected. The team looked into the mental health of over 400,000 people whose spouse had been diagnosed with cancer, and compared them with over two million people whose spouse didn't have cancer. They say the former had an increased risk of suicide attempts, and dying due to suicide, and this was especially prevalent within the first year after a diagnosis.

Attachments

Note: Not all attachments are visible to the general public. Research URLs will go live after the embargo ends.

Research JAMA, Web page

Journal/
conference: JAMA Oncology

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Southern Medical University, China

Funder: This study was supported by grant 23 2741 Pj from the Swedish Cancer Society (Dr Fang), grant NNF18OC0052029 from the Novo Nordisk Foundation (Dr Li), grants DFF-6110-00019B and DFF-9039-00010B from the Independent Research Fund Denmark (Dr Li), grant R275-A15770 from the Nordic Cancer Union (Dr Li), and grant 2016 from the Karen Elise Jensens Fond (Dr Li).

Media Contact/s

Contact details are only visible to registered journalists.