
Research view
Title: | Anxiety and depression in the caregivers of children with congenital heart disease: prevalence and predictors |
Author: | Mona I. Awaad and Khaled E. Darahim |
Abstract: |
Introduction
Caregivers of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are subjected to
significant psychological burden.
Aim
The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the
caregivers of children with CHD and identify the risk factors related to the
development of such disorders.
Participants and methods
This is a cross-sectional case–control study. It includes 115 caregivers of children with
CHD and 40 caregivers of apparently healthy children. All participants were assessed
using a designed questionnaire, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, the Beck
Depression Inventory, and Taylor’s Manifest Anxiety Scale.
Results
Prevalence of depression was higher among caregivers of children with CHD compared
with control caregivers (32.2 vs. 12.5%; P= 0.016). As regards depression severity on
the basis of Beck Depression Inventory, 17.4% of caregivers of children with CHD had
mild depression, 13% had moderate depression, and 1.7% had severe depression.
Further, the prevalence of anxiety was higher among the caregivers of children with CHD
compared with control caregivers (37.4 vs. 17.5%; P= 0.02). On using Taylor’s Manifest
Anxiety Scale, 18.3% of patient caregivers were seen to have mild anxiety, 17.4% to have
moderate anxiety, and 1.7% to have severe anxiety. Multivariate analysis of risk factors
showed that the level of parent education (being illiterate), financial concern, and severity
of the child’s cardiac functional class were independent predictors of anxiety and
depression among the caregivers of children with CHD.
Conclusion
Given the increased risk for depression and anxiety among the caregivers of children
with CHD, it is advisable to institute routine psychiatric screening for those caregivers.
Keywords:
anxiety, Beck Depression Inventory, caregivers, congenital heart disease, depression,
Taylor’s Manifest Anxiety Scale
|
Journal: | Middle East Current Psychiatry 2015, 22:179–185 |
Text: | |
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