Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of psychological symptoms in caregivers of mentally unwell.

Study Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: Psychiatric and Emergency Departments of Bolan Medical Complex Hospital, Quetta from 16th February 2012 to 15th August 2012.

Methodology: Ninety six caregivers of mentally unwell patients, aged ≥18 years, were consecutively recruited for the study. Those with history of depressive symptoms prior to onset of their patients’ illness, with history of co-morbid physical illnesses like Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Ischemic Heart Disease, Stroke, likely to affect the state of their own health, and those refusing to give informed consent, were excluded from the study. Screening for the major mental illnesses in patients was done through semi-structured interviews using ICD-10 criteria.

Results: Fifty seven (59.4%) had somatic symptoms, 59 (61.5%) had anxiety/insomnia, 52 (54.2%) had social dysfunction and 67 (69.8%) had severe depression.

Conclusion: A high frequency of psychological symptoms in caregivers of mentally unwell individuals which implies that care giving for mental illnesses is associated with significant caregiver stress, therefore urgent attention must be paid to this issue.

Key words: Family caregiver, Caregiver burden, Depression, Anxiety, Behavioural symptoms