Prevalence Of Depression Among Primary Caregivers Of Patients With Schizophrenia

Rameshwar S Manhas; Angli Manhas; Gaurav S Manhas; Jagdish R Thappa; Rukhsana Akhter; Rishabh Sharma

Volume : VIII, Issue : VI, June - 2019

Prevalence Of Depression Among Primary Caregivers Of Patients With Schizophrenia

Rameshwar S Manhas, Angli Manhas, Gaurav S Manhas, Jagdish R Thappa, Rukhsana Akhter, Rishabh Sharma

Abstract :

Background: Schizophrenia is a dark shadow in an individual’s life.Caregivers experiences a range of emotions from loss and grief to guilt and anger. Along with other factors and due to lack of support from psychiatric services, caregivers of schizophrenic patients suffers from severe depressive symptoms. Aims: To find prevalence of depression among primary caregivers of patients with schizophrenia. Materials & Methods: The present study was cross–sectional which involved caregivers of schizophrenic patients and was conducted at Government Psychiatric Diseases Hospital Jammu. After meeting inclusion & exclusion Criteria for Caregivers, Hamilton Depression Rating (HAM–D) scale was used for assessing depression in caregivers. Results: The overall prevalence of depression among primary caregivers of patients with schizophrenia was 80.7%. Prevalence of depression was high in caregivers who are younger, females, living in rural areas, widowed/divorced, living in nuclear families, uneducated, doing agricultural or household works and are parents by relation to the patient. Conclusion: From present study, it has been concluded that the prevalence of depression is high among caregivers of the schizophrenia patients. So it is suggest that screening and adequate treatment of these caregivers should be done so that the prevalence of depression can be decreased in the society