title: Psychological burden in inpatient relatives: the forgotten side of medical management.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The burden of the hospital experience is a broad issue that has been evaluated in a particular context of intensive care unit (ICU). It is likely, however, that the load is heavy on families even in other hospital wards and not just in the ICU. The present study was designed to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression in family members of patients admitted in a general medicine department, and to identify associated factors with those symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients' and relatives' socio-demographic data and information pertaining to the patients' health characteristics were collected. Family members completed the Arabic version of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Associations between anxiety or depression and covariates of interest were investigated using generalized estimating equations, for univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of anxiety (55.6%) and depression (41.1%) in family members remains high. The multivariate model identified three groups of factors associated with these symptoms: (i) Patient related: a short length of hospital stay is associated with depression (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.08; P = 0.02); (ii) Family related: rural residence is associated with depression (OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.01-6.74; P = 0.04), and female gender is associated with anxiety and depression (OR 2.60, 95% CI 1.41-4.81; P = 0.002), (OR 3.04, 95% CI 1.62-5.70; P = 0.01), respectively; and (iii) Caregiver related: short length of visit (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.03-1.13; P = 0.002) is associated with anxiety, admission to a share room (OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.25-5.23; P = 0.01) is associated with depression and a need for more information is associated with anxiety and depression (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.02-3.10; P = 0.04),(OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.01-3.11; P = 0.04), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression in family members remains high at the end of acute health care. It is hoped that improving the provision of information will decrease the risk of psychological distress.
authors.affiliation: Medical Emergency Department, Ibn Sina University Hospital, 10000, Agdal-Rabat, Morocco; Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie - Université Mohamed V Souissi, Avenue Mohamed Belarbi El Alaoui, BP 6203, Rabat Institut, 10000, Morocco. Tel: +21261224739; Fax: +21237672558; abouqal@invivo.edu.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Belayachi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Himmich
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Madani
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abidi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dendane
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Zeggwagh
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abouqal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005192:Family Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors