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A PILOT STUDY COMPARING PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL MORBIDITY IN CARERS OF ELDERLY PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA AND THOSE WITH DEPRESSION
Author(s) -
WIJERATNE CHANAKA,
LOVESTONE SIMON
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1166(199608)11:8<741::aid-gps381>3.0.co;2-6
Subject(s) - depression (economics) , dementia , distress , psychological distress , psychiatry , general health questionnaire , psychology , medicine , physical health , gerontology , clinical psychology , mental health , disease , pathology , economics , macroeconomics
Abstract A pilot study compared the difficulties faced by co‐resident relatives caring for elderly patients with dementia and those with depression, referred to a psychogeriatric service in London. The mean GHQ‐28 score of 23 dementia carers was significantly higher than that of 17 carers of elderly people with depression. The relatively low level of distress in the latter group of carers may have been related to the majority of the depressed patients suffering minor depression. Behavioural difficulties in the patient, a poor premorbid relationship with patient and dissatisfaction with their social contacts were associated with a significant GHQ‐28 score (over 4) in carers. However, the two groups of carers reported comparable levels of physical health.