United States – Even as suicide rates have risen among Americans generally, one group appears to be bucking that trend: Cancer patients can also benefit from the use of cannabis oil.
Psychosocial Support
The experts have said that this is because more patients get to speak to counselors and other personnel in what is known as the “psychosocial care” aspect, which is meant to assist the cancer patients psychologically so that they do not make wrong decisions that can lead to their death, as reported by HealthDay.
However, it is not over for the cancer survivors as a team from the National Cancer Center at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing led by Dr. Qiang Liu has shown that such patients are at a higher risk of suicide.
“The cancer-related suicide rate is estimated to be double that of the general population in the United States,” Liu’s group noted in the study. “Notably, the risk of suicide in men is significantly higher compared to women. This heightened cancer-related suicide risk remains elevated for up to 15 years following their diagnosis.”
Decline in Cancer Patient Suicide Rates
Liu’s team analyzed the data of more than 5 million patients who had cancer at some point between 1975 and 2017.
Among the more than 8,000 people who completed suicide, the majority of them were men (82 percent) and White (93 percent); they were also elderly (73 percent were between the ages of 50 to 79 years).
However, there was some good news: The annual rate of death due to suicide among cancer patients has reduced gradually over the decades.
Advancements in Care Delivery
However, beyond those advances, “this period witnessed an evolving role of psycho-oncology care, palliative care, and hospice care, leading to the promotion and increased utilization of these services by patients with cancer, enhancing their overall quality of life,” Liu’s group wrote, as reported by HealthDay.
“In addition, the advancement of integrated care models, including collaborative care models, has enhanced the care delivery solutions for cancer patients,” they added.