Psychological health of caregivers of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A cross-sectional comparative study

Introduction: The quality-of-life in individuals with diabetes is also dependent upon the quality of family relationships and general well-being of caregivers because the patient depends on them to uphold in the community. Only limited studies have assessed the psychological health of caregivers to individuals with diabetes. Aims and Objective: The current study aims at comparison of depression and anxiety levels among patients with diabetes and their caregivers. Materials and Methods: Fifty consecutive patients-care giver dyads of subjects having type 2 diabetes were recruited at an out-patient clinic of medicine at a tertiary care center. The dyads were assessed using a semi-structured proforma for the socio-demographic details and for anxiety and depression levels using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The data were analyzed using SPSS version 17.0. Correlation analysis was performed for multiple variables including blood glucose profile. Results: The mean duration of illness (4.93 ΁ 3.53 years) and blood glucose parameters were not found to be associated to depressive or anxiety symptoms. Depressive and anxiety disorder was observed in 24% and 44% of patients and 10% and 18% of caregivers, respectively. Patients had significantly more HADS anxiety (HADS-A) scale scores than caregivers but not for HADS depression (HADS-D) scale. Female patients were found to be having more HADS-D scores than male patients (P = 0.02), but were not significantly different from caregivers. HADS-A scores were comparable among male and female gender in intragroup as well as intergroup comparison for patient and caregiver groups. Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus affects the psychological health of not only the patients but as well as the family caregivers and patients tend to be more anxious than the caregivers. Furthermore, it was seen that women with diabetes had higher rates of depression than their male counterparts.