title: Predictors of quality of life and caregiver burden among maternal and paternal caregivers of patients with eating disorders.
abstract: This prospective study investigated quality of life and caregiver burden of 244 parent caregivers of 113 Spanish patients with Eating Disorders (ED). One hundred eleven mothers and 70 fathers fulfilled the inclusion criteria. ED patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Eating Attitudes Test-26. Caregivers completed the HADS, the Short Form-12 (SF-12), the Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire-EU version, and the Anorectic Behaviour Observation Scale. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Chi-square and Fisher's exact test were applied. Among mothers, anxiety and depression and patient age contributed to poorer quality of life. Caregiver variables that affected the burden for mothers were marital status, the mental subscale of the SF-12, and the mother's perception of the severity of her child's illness. Caregiver variables that affected the burden for fathers were the caregiver's anxiety and the physical domain of the SF-12. Among mothers but not fathers, being married was a protective factor of caregiver burden. Our findings suggest that mothers and fathers have different perceptions of their quality of life and caregiver burden, and that mothers of patients with ED may be in considerable need for extra psychosocial support.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit, Galdakao-Usansolo Hospital, Barrio Labeaga s/n, Galdakao, 48960 Bizkaia, Spain. Electronic address: josune.martincorral@osakidetza.net.
authors.forename: Josune
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Padierna
authors.forename: Urko
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Aguirre
authors.forename: Nerea
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Quintana
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Burden; Caregiver; Eating disorder; Quality of life