Seid Sofia, Demilew Demeke, Yimer Solomon, Mihretu Awoke
Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Psychiatry J. 2018 Sep 27;2018:2819643. doi: 10.1155/2018/2819643. eCollection 2018.
Caregiving to individuals with mental illness is a broad responsibility, including not only practical help and care but also emotional support. Cross-sectional studies in different localities suggested a significant burden of mental distress among caregivers of patients with epilepsy, but we are not aware about the condition in Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to assess the prevalence and associated factors of mental distress among caregivers of patients with epilepsy in Ethiopia.
An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted in Neuropsychiatric Department of Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Using systematic random sampling technique, 409 caregivers participated in the study. Data was collected by face to face interview using standardized and validated Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10) to assess mental distress. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression models were used for analysis. Adjusted Odd Ratio (AOR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) was used to show the odds, and -value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
The mean age of respondents was 43.3 years with standard deviation of ±11.4 years. Two hundred eighteen (53.3%) of the respondents were male. The prevalence of mental distress was found to be 27.1% with 95% CI [22.6-31.1]. Relationship with patient of being mother [AOR: 5.67, 95% CI: (1.68-13.70)], father [AOR: 4.42, 95% CI: (1.25-12.58)], wife/husband [AOR: 10.59, 95% CI: (2.43-14.19)], and child [AOR: 5.37, 95% CI: (1.27-12.69)]; caring for young person below 20 years of age [AOR: 4.00, 95% CI: (1.43-11.21)]; poor social support [AOR: 7.26, 95% CI: (3.60-14.65)]); and experienced stigma [AOR: 3.03, 95% CI: (1.63-5.66)] were statistically and significantly associated factors of mental distress among caregivers of patients with epilepsy.
We found a lower prevalence of mental distress among caregivers of patients with epilepsy compared to other low- and middle-income settings. Being caring for young patients, being parents to the patient, poor social support, and stigma were statistically significant associated factors of mental distress among caregivers. Therefore, appropriate psychosocial interventions are warranted to be designed and implemented emphasizing the aforementioned associated factors.
照顾患有精神疾病的个体是一项广泛的责任，不仅包括实际的帮助和照料，还包括情感支持。不同地区的横断面研究表明，癫痫患者的照料者存在显著的精神痛苦负担，但我们并不清楚埃塞俄比亚的情况。因此，本研究的目的是评估埃塞俄比亚癫痫患者照料者中精神痛苦的患病率及相关因素。
在埃塞俄比亚亚的斯亚贝巴阿马努埃尔精神专科医院神经精神科进行了一项基于机构的横断面研究。采用系统随机抽样技术，409名照料者参与了研究。通过面对面访谈，使用标准化且经过验证的凯斯勒心理困扰量表（K-10）收集数据，以评估精神痛苦。采用描述性、双变量和多变量逻辑回归模型进行分析。使用调整后的比值比（AOR）及95%置信区间（CI）来显示比值，P值<0.05被认为具有统计学意义。
受访者的平均年龄为43.3岁，标准差为±11.4岁。218名（53.3%）受访者为男性。精神痛苦的患病率为27.1%，95%CI为[22.6 - 31.1]。与患者的关系为母亲[AOR：5.67，95%CI：(1.68 - 13.70)]、父亲[AOR：4.42，95%CI：(1.25 - 12.58)]、妻子/丈夫[AOR：10.59，95%CI：(2.43 - 14.19)]和孩子[AOR：5.37，95%CI：(1.27 - 12.69)]；照顾20岁以下的年轻人[AOR：4.00，95%CI：(1.43 - 11.21)]；社会支持差[AOR：7.26，95%CI：(3.60 - 14.65)]；以及经历过耻辱感[AOR：3.03，95%CI：(1.63 - 5.66)]是癫痫患者照料者中精神痛苦的统计学显著相关因素。
我们发现，与其他低收入和中等收入地区相比，埃塞俄比亚癫痫患者照料者中精神痛苦的患病率较低。照顾年轻患者、是患者的父母、社会支持差以及耻辱感是照料者中精神痛苦的统计学显著相关因素。因此，有必要设计并实施适当的心理社会干预措施，重点关注上述相关因素。
