The adverse mental health of carers: Does the patient diagnosis play a role?
Objectives: The adverse mental health effects of caring have been studied, frequently in carers of people with dementia. Less is known about the mental health of carers of people with other conditions. This study compared depression and burden in older carers looking after people with a variety of c...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Elsevier Ireland Ltd
2015
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/7137 |
| _version_ | 1848745279803621376 |
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| author | Loi, S. Dow, B. Moore, K. Hill, Keith Russell, M. Cyarto, E. Malta, S. Ames, D. Lautenschlager, N. |
| author_facet | Loi, S. Dow, B. Moore, K. Hill, Keith Russell, M. Cyarto, E. Malta, S. Ames, D. Lautenschlager, N. |
| author_sort | Loi, S. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Objectives: The adverse mental health effects of caring have been studied, frequently in carers of people with dementia. Less is known about the mental health of carers of people with other conditions. This study compared depression and burden in older carers looking after people with a variety of conditions. Design, methods and measures: Over 200 older carers interested in participating in the Improving Mood through Physical Activity in Carers and Care-recipient Trial were included in this cross-sectional study, using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and Zarit Burden Inventory (ZBI). Results: Overall there were 43% of carers who were depressed and a quarter of them reported moderate-to-severe burden. Carers of people with physical conditions had the highest levels of depression and burden. Patient diagnosis, hours spent caring, and burden were associated with depression, while hours spent caring and carer depression were associated with burden. These factors contributed approximately 25-30% of the variance of depression and burden, respectively. Conclusions: The diagnosis of the patient was a factor associated with depression, and older carers of people with physical conditions were at the highest risk. It is important for clinicians to assess the mental health of all carers, regardless of the patient diagnosis. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T06:14:50Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-7137 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T06:14:50Z |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publisher | Elsevier Ireland Ltd |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-71372017-09-13T14:40:29Z The adverse mental health of carers: Does the patient diagnosis play a role? Loi, S. Dow, B. Moore, K. Hill, Keith Russell, M. Cyarto, E. Malta, S. Ames, D. Lautenschlager, N. Objectives: The adverse mental health effects of caring have been studied, frequently in carers of people with dementia. Less is known about the mental health of carers of people with other conditions. This study compared depression and burden in older carers looking after people with a variety of conditions. Design, methods and measures: Over 200 older carers interested in participating in the Improving Mood through Physical Activity in Carers and Care-recipient Trial were included in this cross-sectional study, using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and Zarit Burden Inventory (ZBI). Results: Overall there were 43% of carers who were depressed and a quarter of them reported moderate-to-severe burden. Carers of people with physical conditions had the highest levels of depression and burden. Patient diagnosis, hours spent caring, and burden were associated with depression, while hours spent caring and carer depression were associated with burden. These factors contributed approximately 25-30% of the variance of depression and burden, respectively. Conclusions: The diagnosis of the patient was a factor associated with depression, and older carers of people with physical conditions were at the highest risk. It is important for clinicians to assess the mental health of all carers, regardless of the patient diagnosis. 2015 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/7137 10.1016/j.maturitas.2015.06.034 Elsevier Ireland Ltd restricted |
| spellingShingle | Loi, S. Dow, B. Moore, K. Hill, Keith Russell, M. Cyarto, E. Malta, S. Ames, D. Lautenschlager, N. The adverse mental health of carers: Does the patient diagnosis play a role? |
| title | The adverse mental health of carers: Does the patient diagnosis play a role? |
| title_full | The adverse mental health of carers: Does the patient diagnosis play a role? |
| title_fullStr | The adverse mental health of carers: Does the patient diagnosis play a role? |
| title_full_unstemmed | The adverse mental health of carers: Does the patient diagnosis play a role? |
| title_short | The adverse mental health of carers: Does the patient diagnosis play a role? |
| title_sort | adverse mental health of carers: does the patient diagnosis play a role? |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/7137 |