Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Al Massara Hospital, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman.
Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Oman Medical Specialty Board, Muscat, Oman.
Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2019 Oct;55(4):600-606. doi: 10.1111/ppc.12374. Epub 2019 Mar 19.
To explore the prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms among parents/primary care providers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among a systematic random sample of parents/caregivers of children with diagnosis of ASD in Muscat, Oman. Depressive symptoms were quantified using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9.
The response rate was at 86% (n = 80) and the prevalence of depressive symptoms, at 71.3% (95% confidence interval, 60.5-80.1). Logistic regression analyses indicated that unemployment and being the sole parent/caregiver in the family were both significant correlates of depressive symptoms.
With an increase in the number of children being diagnosed with ASD, multidimensional preventive and remedial service programs for parents/caregivers will be essential.
探讨自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）儿童的父母/主要照护者中抑郁症状的流行情况及其相关因素。
在阿曼马斯喀特，对经系统随机抽样诊断为 ASD 的儿童的父母/照护者进行了一项横断面分析性研究。使用患者健康问卷-9 来量化抑郁症状。
应答率为 86%（n=80），抑郁症状的流行率为 71.3%（95%置信区间，60.5-80.1）。逻辑回归分析表明，失业和作为家庭中唯一的父母/照护者均是抑郁症状的显著相关因素。
随着被诊断为 ASD 的儿童数量的增加，为父母/照护者提供多维的预防和补救服务计划将至关重要。
