Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, and Associated Factors in Caregivers of Geriatric Psychiatric Patients

Abstract

Objective :

To estimate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and associated factors in caregivers of geriatric psychiatric patients.

Materials & Methods :

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 230 caregivers of geriatric patients in Suan-Saranrom Psychiatric Hospital between April and May 2014. Participants completed a set of questionnaires including socio-demographic characteristics and medical information, Thai-HADS, patient-caregiver relationship scale, patient-caring attitude test, Locus of Control Scale, geriatric psychiatric patient-care knowledge test, perceived burden of caring scale, problem-coping scale, and life stress events questionnaire. Caregivers, whose score of Thai-HADS was more than 7, were defined as having anxiety or depression.

Results :

Approximately seventy three percent of the samples were female with the mean age of 40.7 years, about 42% had bachelor-degree education, and most of them had no debt. Seventy two percent of the samples looked after only one patient. The average duration of caring was 8.7 years, and all of the patients were direct relatives of the samples. Most of the geriatric psychiatric patients, in this study, mean age 72.3 years were diagnosed with mood disorders (41.3%) and no diagnosis of physical illness (89.6%). The prevalence of depression and anxiety in caregivers of geriatric psychiatric patients were 15.7% and 28.3%, respectively. Multivariate analyses indicated that the significant risk factors associated with depression were high reported experiencing life stress events in the past year (adjusted OR = 4.15, 95% CI = 1.86-9.23), low problem-facing coping skill (adjusted OR = 3.29, 95% CI = 1.39-7.75), and high perceived burden of caring (adjusted OR = 2.53, 95% CI = 1.11-5.76). The significant risk factors associated with anxiety were poor patient-caring attitude (adjusted OR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.26-4.78), less than bachelor -degree education (adjusted OR = 2.37, 95% CI = 1.22-4.61), poor patient-caregiver relationship (adjusted OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.08-3.91), and high perceived burden of caring (adjusted OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.07-3.94).

Conclusion :

Among caregivers of geriatric psychiatric patients, both depression and anxiety were prevalent and higher than those of other geriatric patients. Marked depression and anxiety is associated with poor patient caring and more serious mental problems of the caregivers. Health care providers should promote mental health, monitor and early detection of such conditions, particularly in caregivers with the significant risk factors.