DEPRESSION AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS: A STUDY ON CAREGIVERS OF PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS

Nomita Sohail; Shiraz Hussain; Siddique Kakar; Sana Khan; Mohsin Alimudin; Mohammad Kamran; Sohail Ali

doi:10.51253/pafmj.v6i6.2971

Authors

Nomita Sohail Armed Forces Institute of Mental Health/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Rawalpindi Pakistan
Shiraz Hussain Armed Forces Institute of Mental Health/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Rawalpindi Pakistan
Siddique Kakar Armed Forces Institute of Mental Health/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Rawalpindi Pakistan
Sana Khan AFIMH Rwp
Mohsin Alimudin
Mohammad Kamran
Sohail Ali

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51253/pafmj.v6i6.2971

Keywords:

Caregivers, Depression, Psychiatric disorders

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency and association of depression among caregivers of psychiatric patients.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Study place and duration: Outpatient Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital, Rawalpindi, from Sep 2016 to Apr 2017.

Methodology: A total of 200 caregivers of psychiatric patients were included in this study. Each caregiver was interviewed by a consultant psychiatrist to measure the frequency of depression according to International Classification of Disease-10 (ICD10) criteria and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) score of >8. Socio-demographic factors were associated with presence of depression by using chi-square test.

Results: The mean age observed was 35.36 ± 8.39 years. There were 84 (42%) males and 116 (58%) females. Depression was found in 95 (47.5%) caregivers of psychiatric patients in our analysis. Female gender, low socio-economic status and type of psychiatric illness had significant relationship with presence of depression among our target population.

Conclusion: Depression was a highly common undiagnosed entity among the caregivers of psychiatric patients. Female caregivers or caregivers with low socio-economic status should be screened especially for depression in addition to caregivers of patients suffering from psychotic illness.