Both male and female patients preferred to depend on their spouses to be looked after. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 9 (Korea Bizwire) — A recent study showed that male cancer patients tend to rely more on their spouses than women.
A research team co-led by Prof. Shin Dong-uk from Samsung Medical Center conducted a survey of 439 cancer patients who received treatment at 11 medical centers in South Korea.
The average age of the patients was 70.8 years old, 72.7 percent of whom were married at the time of receiving cancer treatment.
When it came to physical assistance, 86.1 percent of male patients tended to rely on their spouse, while only 36.1 percent of female patients did likewise.
Many female patients also depended on their daughters (19.6 percent), sons (15.8 percent), daughters-in-law (12.7 percent), or chose to manage on their own (12 percent).
Among male patients, 84 percent also relied on their spouse for psychological comfort. In contrast, only 32.9 percent of female patients did likewise, or chose to depend on their daughters (28.5 percent) or sons (17.7 percent).
The contrast became more striking when it came to financial assistance.
While 34.2 percent of male patients relied financially on their spouse, female patients tended to depend more on their sons (40.5 percent) than their spouse (31.6 percent).
Overall, however, both male and female patients preferred to depend on their spouses to be looked after. As patients got older, they relied less on their patients and more on their children.
“Every family member should be held responsible for looking after the patient,” said the research team. “Policies should also be put in place to lighten the load of families taking care of their loved ones.”
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
