Prevalence and correlates of generalized anxiety disorder and depression among caregivers of children and adolescents with seizure disorders

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and correlates of anxiety and depression among caregivers of children with seizure disorders. Methods: Two hundred and two caregivers of children with seizure disorders were administered socio-demographic questionnaires at the Child and Adolescent Outpatient Clinic between October 2011 and March 2012. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV axis 1 Diagnosis (SCID) was used for diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depression. Results: One hundred and forty six (72%) of the carers were females, with mothers of patients accounting for 66% of respondents. The prevalence of generalized anxiety among the respondents was 12%, while that of major depressive disorder was 50.5%. The socio-demographic characteristics of carers associated with psychiatric morbidity included older age range (χ 2 =18.67, p=0.001), being employed (χ 2 =10.41, p=0.015), longer duration of care (χ 2 =18.07, p=0.001) and being patients' mother (χ 2 =10.17, p=0.032). Conclusion: Depression and anxiety are common among caregivers of children with seizure disorders. Caregivers' socio-demographic characteristics and patients' clinical variables are associated with prevalence of anxiety and depression. These findings suggest the need to adopt a holistic approach to the detection of these disorders and developing adequate intervention for these caregivers.

Burden and Its Predictors among Caregivers of Patient with Epilepsy

“…A Nigerian study also concluded anxiety and depression as common disorders among caregivers of children with seizure disorders. 1 These results suggest that the care-givers of children with epilepsy are the hidden or “Forgotten” patients of anxiety and/or depression who also need psychiatric intervention. Mentally healthy individuals can provide better care to their children with chronic condition like epilepsy.…”

“…11 In a Nigerian study done among caregivers of adult patients with epilepsy, 51.9% of care-givers had high burden. 1 The differences in levels of burden among different studies might be because of socio-economic and cultural differences, differences in availability of treatment options, age of patients and differences in resilience of people across different study settings.…”

“…Caring of children with seizure disorders is very complicated. 1 Caregivers have to arrange medical appointments, handle prescription regimens and deal with the changes in their children’s functioning. Parents and relatives may fear stigmatization and may not be able to maintain the balance between protective and restrictive behaviours towards their children.…”

“…Lower education level of caregivers and increased length of time in care providing can also increase the level of burden among caregivers. 1 The emotional pain experienced by them can affect the quality of care which ultimately can affect the prognosis of these patients. 2 Burden of care is a multi-factorial construct which consists of emotional, psychological, physical and economic impact as well as related painful feelings such as humiliation, anger, feeling of guilt and self-blame.…”

A comparison of clinician and caregiver assessment of functioning in patients attending a child and adolescent mental health clinic in Nigeria

“…This may be because mothers have more contact time with the child, and the burden of caring for an ill child falls more often on the mother. [22] Being a mother has been reported to be associated with more psychiatric morbidity among caregivers of children with epilepsy, [23] and mothers of functionally impaired children are more likely to have mental ill health, [8] which has been postulated to influence their assessment of the child. [24] Both the CGAS and the CIS showed a significant association with the burden experienced by the caregiver and the psychiatric morbidity experienced by the caregiver.…”