Highet Nicole, Thompson Marie, McNair Bernard
Beyondblue (The national depression initiative), Melbourne, Australia.
J Affect Disord. 2005 Jul;87(1):25-33. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2005.02.016.
Current research activity has not focused adequately upon the experience of caring for a person with depression. This study aimed to explore the carer's experience of living with a person with clinical depression. Specific focus was given to the detection and recognition of the disorder.
A series of focus groups and in-depth interviews was conducted with carers living with a person with clinical depression in rural and metropolitan Australia. Participants were recruited via support agencies and local advertising of the research.
Signs and symptoms of depression were recognised by carers, generally in hindsight. Barriers to early detection were identified by carers and these were likely to contribute to the psychological reaction of carers and to the eventual diagnosis of the care recipient.
The study would be strengthened by a greater diversity of relationships between the carer and the care recipient.
This research has important implications for clinical practice and health policy, which must evolve to facilitate early detection and intervention, and to address the experience and needs of carers.
目前的研究活动尚未充分关注照顾抑郁症患者的经历。本研究旨在探讨照顾者与临床抑郁症患者共同生活的体验。特别关注该疾病的检测和识别。
对澳大利亚农村和城市地区与临床抑郁症患者共同生活的照顾者进行了一系列焦点小组讨论和深入访谈。参与者通过支持机构和研究的当地广告招募。
照顾者通常是事后才认识到抑郁症的体征和症状。照顾者识别出了早期检测的障碍，这些障碍可能导致照顾者的心理反应以及最终对受照顾者的诊断。
照顾者与受照顾者之间关系的更多样化将加强本研究。
本研究对临床实践和卫生政策具有重要意义，临床实践和卫生政策必须不断发展以促进早期检测和干预，并满足照顾者的体验和需求。
