Sleep problems in advanced cancer patients and their caregivers: Who is disturbing whom?

BackgroundThe aims of the study were to understand sleep problems and their effects in advanced cancer patients and spousal and intimate partner caregivers and to examine the directionality of the link between patients' and caregivers' sleep problems.MethodsFifty-four advanced cancer patients and their spousal and intimate partners were administered a battery of questionnaires that included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Center for Epidemiological Studies at the patients' cancer diagnosis and at 2, 4, and 6 months after diagnosis.ResultsPatients' and caregivers' sleep duration was significantly related. Using cross-lagged panel analyses, caregivers' sleep quality significantly predicted patients' sleep quality and patients' sleep quality subsequently predicted caregivers' sleep quality. Patients' sleep latency significantly was found to significantly predict caregivers' sleep latency.ConclusionPatients diagnosed with cancer and their intimate partners have poor sleep quality and sleep patterns are related.