Paper
Thursday, July 12, 2007
This presentation is part of : Access to Care: Caregiving Across the Life Span
Predictors of Depression in Family Caregivers of Persons with AD
Elizabeth W. Gonzalez, PhD, APRN, BC, College of Nursing & Health Professions, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
With an aging population and public policies that limit accessible and affordable formal care services, informal caregivers, largely women, will continue to bear the overwhelming responsibility for providing care to their loved ones at home.  Caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients frequently experience depression, which is attributed to the strain of care provision. The cause of depression, however, is not clear. Although past research has identified demographic factors that are associated with caregiver depression, minimal attention has been given to the caregiver’s psychological and environmental factors that are amenable to change. The purpose of this study was to examine how a caregiver’s perceived health, perceived stress, time restrictions, and care-recipient’s memory-related problems affect the caregiver’s risk for depression.  

 

Method: A descriptive design was used. One hundred sixteen women family caregivers of persons diagnosed with AD participated in the study. Family caregivers were interviewed face to face and responded to a questionnaire that includes demographic information, perceived health, time restriction, perceived stressed, activities, and care-recipient’s memory-related behavior problems.  Descriptive statistical analyses, bivariate, and multiple regression analyzes were performed.

 

Results: The results showed that 41% of the variance on depression was explained by caregiver’s perceived health, stress, time restriction, and presence of disruptive behavior.  Twenty –five percent of the family caregivers scored over 9 in the 10-item CESD indicating depression but only one sought mental health service. Reasons for not seeking mental health services are: stigma in seeing a mental health provider, belief that depression will just go away, lack of knowledge regarding available mental health provider, no insurance, and no time to see a physician.

 

Conclusions: Formal caregivers must act together to provide accessible and affordable programs and support services to screen  caregiver’s health and depression, provide relief or respite, and teach caregivers stress management and how to deal with behavior problems.

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