Poster Presentation COSA-IPOS Joint Scientific Meeting 2012

Are caregivers of cancer patients depressed? - A single centre experience from South India. (#457)

Kirushna Kumar Kosanam Subramanian 1 , Vijayabhaskar Ramakrishnan 1 , Uma Jayaraman 1 , Krishnakumar Rathnam 1
  1. Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Reasearch centre, Madurai, Tamil, India

Aim:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Depression among family caregivers of patients diagnosed with cancer and are on active treatment

Materials and methods:

We enrolled 324 caregivers of patients who were under treatment in Meenakshi Mission hospital and research centre, Madurai, with either radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy during the period from Dec-2011 to Apr-2012. We recorded demographic data for both patients and caregivers. Beck's depression Inventory was applied for assessing the depression in family caregivers. The data collected was recorded, tabulated and analysed.

Results:

Majority of caregivers were males (n= 192,59.3%). Fifty two(16%) out of 324  caregivers were illiterate, 128(39.5%) were educated up to middle school,68(21%) completed Masters and the rest completed only secondary education.

Majority(n=188,58%) had a depression score of >13. Of 324 caregivers , 56(17.3%) had borderline depression (BDI score 17-20).Sixty four(19.8%) caregivers were clinically depressed.(BDI of 21 and above).Two hundred and thirty two families were having financial issues for getting treatment. Out of these, 92 caregivers (39.7%) had features of  more  than borderline depression ( BDI > 17).

Conclusion:

Depression was highly prevalent  among family caregivers of cancer patients. Financial constraints were the major predictors of depression  in these subjects. Insurance cover , if existing would have reduced the financial burden and in turn  will reduce the psychological distress in these families.