Abstract

BEJARANO, M.; FUCHS, V.; FERNANDEZ, N.  and  AMANCIO, O.. Impact of family support over food intake and depressive status in cervical cancer patients during hospitalization. Nutr. Hosp. [online]. 2009, vol.24, n.2, pp.182-186. ISSN 1699-5198.

Introduction: Uterine cervical cancer represents a public health problem in Mexico; the patients suffer physical and psychological stress leading to depression and weight loss. Eating with a relative has positive effects in food ingestion and depressive status in hospitalized patients. In our society, food is the closest way that family members have to bring care and to show affection to the patient that has less appetite as diseasegoes on. Objective: To establish the relationship between presence of the family during the meals and depresion, food intake, and weight variation during hospitalization. Methodology: 106 women admitted to the Oncology Department at the General Hospital of Mexico with a diagnosis of CUCA clinical stage II and III were studied in order to improve their condition. Weight and height, diet by means of 24 hour recalls were assessed both at hospital admission and discharge, and Beck's depression inventory was applied; the frequency with which the relatives escorted the patient was recorded. Results: Patients were classified in two groups according to the frequency of family escorting; it was found that 43 patients (40.6%) were accompanied, and 63 patients (59.4%) were not. We did not find significant differences in age and days of hospital stay between the groups (p > 0.05). The escorted patients had more foods available during hospitalization (p < 0.05). Energy consumption (kcal) in escorted patients was higher by 12.7% as compared to non-escorted patients. 76.7% of the escorted patients were depressed, as compared to 55% in the non-escorted group. Significant differences were found with regards to clinical status and presence of depression (p < 0.05) between the study groups. Conclusions: Family escorting does not have an influence on the amount of foods consumed during hospitalization or body weight variation; however, it does have an influence on the presence of depression.

Keywords : Family escorting; Cervical cancer; Weight variation; Depression.

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