Burden and depression in primary caregivers of persons with visual impairment.
BACKGROUND
Caregivers who assist persons with visual impairment often neglect their needs, resulting in burden and depression. Rehabilitation efforts, directed to the disabled, seldom target the caregiver.


OBJECTIVE
To assess burden and depression in persons caring for blind individuals.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study carried out in the outpatient department of a tertiary-level teaching hospital in New Delhi.


METHODS
Institutional Ethical Board approval was obtained and written informed consent too was obtained from the participants involved in this study. Persons with best-corrected vision <20/200 in the better eye, and their primary caregivers, were recruited. We recorded demography, other illness/disability, household income, relationship with disabled person, and caregiver burden (Caregiver Burden Scale) and depression (Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale).


METHODS
Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 20 (Released 2011. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.); range, average, and standard deviation were determined for age, burden, and depression. The association between burden and depression was determined using Pearson's correlation; the relationship between degree of disability and caregiver burden and depression was determined using unpaired t-test; using multiple linear regression, factors were found to be statistically significant; significance was taken at P < 0.05.


RESULTS
Twenty-seven (53.0%) men and 24 (47.0%) women had visual impairment. Most caregivers (n = 40; 81.6%) were first-degree relatives or a spouse; 32 (65%) had schooling <5 years; and 29 (59%) were unemployed. Depression ranged from 21 to 52 (average 43.2 ± 5.71); it correlated with degree of disability (P = 0.012), household income (r = -0.320; P = 0.025), and burden (r = 0.616; P < 0.001). Burden ranged from 30 to 73 (average 54.5 ± 6.73) and correlated with degree of disability (P = 0.006). On multiple linear regression, burden predicted depression (r = 0.557; P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Caregivers merit community support, financial benefit, interventions to diagnose and treat depression, and training in coping. Centers that provide disability certification could offer counseling.
Department of Ophthalmology, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Shubhank
S
Khare
Department of Ophthalmology, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Jolly
J
Rohatgi
Department of Psychiatry, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Manjeet Singh
MS
Bhatia
Department of Ophthalmology, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Upreet
U
Dhaliwal
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001766:Blindness / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*
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