Depression and psychosocial burden among caregivers of children with chronic kidney disease

Abstract

BackgroundMore attention has recently targeted families of children with chronic kidney diseases displaying depressive symptoms and major psychosocial burden due to the long-standing nature of the illness and its alarming complications. A cross sectional comparative study was conducted to assess the rate of occurrence of both depression severity and psychological burden, personal and role strain in a sample of Egyptian caregivers of children with chronic kidney disease.ResultsThirty caregivers of children with CKD were enrolled compared to 30 matched controls during a 6-month period. A short pre-designed sheet including socio-demographic data, and general medical, psychiatric and family history was used, and Beck Depression Inventory, Zarit Burden Interview, Holmes and Rahe Socioeconomic Stress Scale, and Occupational Stress Questionnaire were answered.More than half of the caregivers of children with chronic kidney disease reported moderate depression (53.3%), while 30% and 16.7% reported mild and severe depression respectively. The majority of cases 80% had moderate psychological burden. And 70% of cases reported minimal socioeconomic stress compared to 40% in the control. Logistic regression analysis showed that ZBI and SRRS scores were significantly linked to depression and burden found in caregivers of children with CKD (P = 0.001 and 0.031) respectively.ConclusionThe rate of occurrence of depression and psychological burden is significantly high in caregivers of children with chronic kidney disease; therefore, this population must be assessed and provided with liaison psychological rehabilitation.