Caregiver burden during psychiatric hospitalisation: A multi-centre, longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Research
• Caregiver Support Studies
• Psychiatric Nursing

Background:

• Caregiver burden from mental illness is often underestimated by healthcare professionals.
• Family members experience significant distress, reduced quality of life, and premature aging due to caregiving responsibilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of psychiatric hospitalization on caregivers' suffering, burden, and quality of life.
• To evaluate these impacts at admission, discharge, and three months post-discharge.

Main Methods:

• Systematized and individualized nursing interviews with 127 family caregivers.
• Utilized validated scales: Short-Form Health Survey, Zarit Burden Interview, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale.
• Assessed caregivers of adult patients with first hospitalization within the last five years.

Main Results:

• Female caregivers and those admitting patients involuntarily reported higher burden and depression, with lower quality of life.
• Caregivers experienced heightened depressive symptoms and reduced quality of life during a patient's initial hospitalization.
• Burden levels decreased and quality of life improved over the three-month follow-up period.

Conclusions:

• Emphasizes the need for interventions like psychoeducation to mitigate caregiver distress.
• Suggests integrating caregiver support and burden assessment into clinical practice from the first hospitalization.
• Highlights the potential for early interventions to prevent mental and physical health issues in caregivers.