Abstract

Objective:
This study aimed to assess the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms among caregivers of children diagnosed with cancer in Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Center for Pediatric Oncology Department (FBCPOD) in Maternity and Children Hospital in Buraydah, Qassim.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted on 67 caregivers of pediatric oncology patients in FBCPOD in Maternity and Children Hospital in Buraydah, between January 2023 and June 2023. The survey tools included the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire to assess depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively.
Results:
A total of 67 caregivers were included in the study, aged between 31-40 years (58.2%) and being female (97.0%). A significant number of caregivers experienced mild to moderate depressive symptoms and anxiety levels. Many caregivers reported feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge (64.2%) and excessively worrying (61.2%). The analysis revealed that none of the sociodemographic factors demonstrated a significant association with the caregivers’ depressive or anxiety symptoms.
Conclusion:
The study highlighted the prevalence of mild to moderate depression and anxiety symptoms among caregivers of children with cancer. However, no significant associations were found between these mental health outcomes and the sociodemographic characteristics of caregivers and children. These findings emphasized the need for targeted mental health support for caregivers, regardless of their demographic backgrounds, to ensure their well-being while caring for children with cancer.

Key words: anxiety, depression, caregivers, pediatric cancer, Saudi Arabia.