Depression Among Caretakers of Patients Suffering from Depression

Introduction: Caretaker is the one who assume the responsibility for the financial, emotional, physical, and usually medical care of the sick relative. There is potentially high risk for decrease in health status and consequent burden among the caretakers who provide care to their family members with psychiatric illness (depression) which contributes to the emergence of psychosocial problems like anxiety and depression.
Aim: To study prevalence of depression among caretakers of patients suffering from depression.
Materials & Methods: The present study was hospital based observational and cross-sectional study which was conducted over a period of 2 months on the caretakers of the patient suffering from depression attending the outpatient department (OPD) of Government Psychiatric Diseases Hospital Jammu. A total of 120 caretakers were selected for the study and were later assessed by HAM-D scale.
Results: The prevalence of depression among the caretakers of patients suffering from depression was 70.8%. The prevalence of depression was higher in caretakers who were above 45 years of age (74.5%), females (76.7%), living in rural areas (79.7%), unmarried (73.3%), agricultural workers (88.2%), living in nuclear families (75.6%), uneducated (94.1%) and were parents of their patient (80%).
Conclusion: From the present study we conclude that there is high prevalence of depression among the caretakers of patients suffering from depression. Hence it is suggested that the concerned authorities should take appropriate steps so that these caretakers can be properly screened and treated if required.

Keywords: Caretaker, Depression, Prevalence.