Risk of depression in family caregivers: unintended consequence of COVID-19.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is likely to exacerbate the symptoms of poor mental health in family caregivers.

Aims

To investigate whether rates of depressive symptomatology increased in caregivers during COVID-19 and whether the unintended consequences of health protective measures, i.e., social isolation, exacerbated this risk. Another aim was to see if caregivers accessed any online/phone psychological support during COVID.

Method

Data (1349 caregivers; 6178 non-caregivers) was extracted from Understanding Society, a UK population-level data-set. The General Health Questionnaire cut-off scores identified those who are likely to have depression.

Results

After adjustment for confounding caregivers had a higher risk of having depressive symptom

SUBMITTER: Gallagher S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7550870 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature