title: Emotional distress among caregivers of patients with epilepsy in Katsina State, Northern Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Caregivers of patients with epilepsy experience onsiderable emotional distress. The study aimed to assess the magnitude of the problem in a developing country.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total 166 patients-caregivers were enrolled for the study. They were interviewed using a socio-demographic data collecting sheet and the Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale (HADS). Data obtained were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences Windows version 13. All statistical tests were carried out at a 5% level of probability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the caregivers was 45.44 ± 6.67 years. Emotional distress was found among 109(65.7%) of the caregivers. This is was significantly associated with male gender of both care giver and patient as well as residing in a rural area.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study demonstrated a high level of emotional distress associated with caring for patients with epilepsy, which is comparable to other studies carried out in other parts of the world.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika-Zaria, Nigeria. yusufajika@yahoo.com
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: Yusuf
authors: F T
authors: FT
authors: Nuhu
authors: V O
authors: VO
authors: Olisah
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003906:Developing Countries; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult