Depressive disorders in spouses of mentally ill patients.
BACKGROUND
According to the literature on stress and coping, the burden of caregiving to a mentally ill partner might have an impact on the mental health of the spouse.


METHODS
As part of a study on the burden of caregiving to mentally ill family members, a structured psychiatric interview (DIA-X-M-CIDI) was conducted with spouses of patients suffering from depression, anxiety disorders, or schizophrenia (n = 151).


RESULTS
Covarying with the partner's gender and the severity of the patient's illness a significantly increased prevalence of depressive disorders could be found.


CONCLUSIONS
Psychiatric patients' partners are at a high risk of developing a depressive disorder. It appears necessary to develop special interventions for spouses reducing stress and the risk of getting depressed.
Wittmund
Bettina
B
Department of Psychiatry, University of Leipzig, Germany.
Wilms
H-Ulrich
HU
Mory
Claudia
C
Angermeyer
Matthias C
MC
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk; D012559:Schizophrenia; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*