[Effect of a One-Week Health Program on the Mental Health of Caregiving Parents: A Controlled Panel Study]

Parents of children in need of care and home care are a vulnerable group. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a legally funded, one-week health program of the Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture (SVLFG) on the well-being of the participating caregiving. Methods In a controlled panel study (intervention group IG n=23, comparison group n=33, allocation not randomized), the WHO-5 index was collected at several time points of measurement. Evaluation was performed by fixed effects panel regression under control of time-varying characteristics (external conditions, period effects).

At the start of the intervention, 70% of the IG were at the threshold of clinically relevant depressiveness. After a very clear initial effect, the level remained above the baseline level for up to 15 weeks (under stable conditions). However, a sinking below the initial level was prevented until at least 26 weeks even with significantly increasing stress.

Considering the high initial burden, the effect of the prevention-oriented intervention is persistent over a considerable period of time. The intervention is unique for the social insurance system. The design allows a causal interpretation despite the small number of cases.