Differences in depression severity in family caregivers of hospitalized individuals with dementia and family caregivers of outpatients with dementia.

OBJECTIVES

To determine if family caregivers of hospitalized individuals with dementia exhibit greater depression severity than caregivers of outpatients.

METHODS

Caregivers were recruited during care recipient treatment. Measures assessed depression, stress, burden, and grief.

RESULTS

Forty-one caregivers of a hospitalized patient and 44 caregivers of an outpatient (total N = 85) were recruited. The groups did not differ except caregivers of hospitalized patients were younger and less likely to reside with the care recipient. Regarding depression, 63.4% of caregivers of a hospitalized patient and 43.2% of caregivers of an outpatient scored within the clinical depressive symptoms range. Independent sample t-tests showed that caregivers of a hospitalized patient had greater severity of depression, burden, and grief. Caregiving for a hospitalized person remained a significant predictor of greater depression severity in regression models.

CONCLUSIONS

Family caregiving for a person hospitalized for psychiatric treatment of dementia is a risk factor for depression.