Premium
Predictors of the depressive symptomatology of the family caregivers of Chinese stroke patients in Hong Kong
Author(s) -
LAU C. G.,
TANG W. K.,
WONG K. S.,
MOK V.,
UNGVARI G. S.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.69
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1365-2850
pISSN - 1351-0126
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2850.2011.01782.x
Subject(s) - housewife , geriatric depression scale , medicine , depression (economics) , family caregivers , depressive symptoms , stroke (engine) , rating scale , cross sectional study , psychiatry , clinical psychology , physical therapy , psychology , cognition , gender studies , mechanical engineering , developmental psychology , pathology , sociology , engineering , economics , macroeconomics
Accessible summary• No previous Hong Kong study has explored the relationship between stroke survivors and their carers' depressive symptoms. • The severity of Chinese stroke patients' depressive symptoms, their caregivers' perceptions of their own health, and the adversity of recent life events are the crucial factors associated with caregivers' depressive symptoms. • Caregivers' depressive symptoms are correlated with those of stroke survivors, although the causal connection and its direction could not be established. • Teaching effective stress management skills to caregivers and care recipients could reduce emotional stress and related depressive symptoms. Doing so would, in turn, lessen caregivers' physical health problems, resulting in better quality of life for both the providers and recipients of care, and thus a better caregiving outcome. Educational programmes for stroke caregivers and stroke survivors should be made available in the community.Abstract The aim of this cross‐sectional study was to determine the socio‐demographic and clinical factors associated with depressive symptoms in the family caregivers of Hong Kong Chinese stroke patients. One hundred and twenty‐three patients at a stroke clinic and their family caregivers formed the study sample. The depressive symptoms of both the patients and their family caregivers were rated with the Chinese version of the 15‐item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Participants' socio‐demographic data and clinical characteristics served as the independent variables in relation to the caregivers' GDS scores. Patients' and caregivers' somatic and psychological conditions were measured with 10 scales. In univariate analysis, caregivers' GDS scores were significantly correlated with certain of their characteristics [Modified Life Event Scale (MLES), Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS) and Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS) scores, sex and being a housewife] and those of the patients (GDS score and being a housewife). Multiple regression analysis showed caregivers' MLES and CIRS scores and patients' GDS scores to be independent correlates of caregivers' GDS scores. Adverse events encountered by caregivers in the past 6 months, their current health problems and patients' depressive symptoms were found to be the principal factors associated with caregivers' depressive symptoms.