Abstract
Background: Coronaviruses (CoVs) are emerging respiratory viruses and cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Informal primary caregivers of individuals with mental illness were special populations suffering from both the burden of caring for mentally ill individuals and the danger of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) epidemic.Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of common mental disorders (CMDs) among the informal primary caregivers of adults with mental illness during the Covid-19 epidemic.Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from July 1 to 30, 2020. A systematic random sampling technique was used to get samples of informal primary caregivers. Data were analyzed by bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis. In the final model, variables having a p-value < 0.05 were declared as associated with CMDs.Result: Out of a total of 218 informal primary caregivers, 215 responded to this study. The prevalence of CMDs was 40.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 36.66, 44.3%] among informal primary caregivers. Being female informal primary caregivers [adjusted odds ratios (AOR) 1.98, 95% CI = 1.05, 3.76], being student informal primary caregivers (AOR 5.8, 95% CI: 1.2, 28.4), caring patients with psychosis (AOR 3.33, 95% CI: 1.12, 9.92) and caring patients with bipolar disorder (AOR 3.12, 95% CI: 1.35, 7.23) were significantly associated with CMDs.Conclusion: Our study cannot show the causal relationship due to its cross-sectional study design nature. However, this study showed relatively higher prevalence of CMDs among informal primary caregivers of adults with any mental illness during the Covid-19 epidemics relative to pre-Covid-19 times. Being a female caregiver, being a student caregiver, and caring for adults with psychosis and bipolar disorder were factors associated with CMDs. Attention should be given, and essential psychosocial care should be provided, to maintain the mental health of informal primary caregivers of individuals with mental illness especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Highlights
Since December 2019, the world is fighting an outbreak of a novel infectious disease known as Coronaviruses disease 2019 (Covid19) [1]
The current study was designed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with CMDs among the informal primary caregivers of adults with any mental illness during the Covid-19 epidemic and who were attending mental health care service at Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital (HFSUH), Eastern Ethiopia
The current study revealed that the informal primary caregivers who were caring for people with psychosis (AOR 3.33, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.12, 9.92) and bipolar disorders (AOR 3.12, 95% CI:1.35, 7.23) were found to have higher adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of experiencing CMDs compared with the informal primary caregivers who were caring for adults with an anxiety disorder
Summary
Since December 2019, the world is fighting an outbreak of a novel infectious disease known as Coronaviruses disease 2019 (Covid19) [1]. Covid-19 was detected for the first time in December 2019, like a viral outbreak in Wuhan City of Central Hubei Province of China, and on December 31, 2019, it was announced to the World Health Organization (WHO) [3]. The Covid-19 pandemic has an impact on physical health, psychological and social aspects, and could affect the mental health status of the population [5]. As Covid-19 is an emerging disease and is having the most devastating effects globally, it can cause community mental health problems [6]. Having a mental illness during a global pandemic could have a huge effect on the entire family members including financially, socially, and interpersonally, especially when combined with the impact of larger-scale effects of the pandemic on socioeconomic circumstances [10]. Informal primary caregivers of individuals with mental illness were special populations suffering from both the burden of caring for mentally ill individuals and the danger of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) epidemic
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