Department of Pediatrics, Medical Faculty, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Health Sciences, Bakirkoy Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey.
Clin Rheumatol. 2021 Dec;40(12):5025-5032. doi: 10.1007/s10067-021-05867-5. Epub 2021 Aug 3.
Having a child with a chronic illness is a source of stress for the whole family, especially the primary caregiver. The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations between caregiver burden and both the caregiver's and child's psychological symptoms in a cohort of children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Thirty-four patients (aged 9-18 years) with childhood-onset SLE and their caregivers participated in this study. The control group was composed of healthy children and their caregivers. Questionnaires were used to evaluate caregiver burden and the psychological status of parents and children and adolescents with and without SLE.
No significant difference was found between the study and control groups for caregiver burden, anxiety and depression in parents, and psychological status in children. Caregiver burden was positively correlated with parent's depression, anxiety, and behavioral and peer problems of the children, and it was negatively correlated with the children's prosocial behaviors. According to regression analyses, the parents' depression and children's peer relationship had a positive effect on caregiver burden scores.
Physicians should be aware of the presence of psychological symptoms in patients with childhood-onset SLE and their caregivers because it can affect caregiver burden and the caregiver's psychological state. Key points •Caregiver burden was positively correlated with parent's depression and anxiety. •Caregiver burden was positively correlated with children's behavioral and peer problems. •Caregiver burden was negatively correlated with child's prosocial behaviors.
儿童患有慢性病会给整个家庭带来压力，尤其是主要照顾者。本研究旨在评估系统性红斑狼疮（SLE）患儿照顾者负担与照顾者和患儿心理症状之间的关系。
本研究纳入了 34 名（9-18 岁）儿童期起病的系统性红斑狼疮患儿及其照顾者。对照组由健康儿童及其照顾者组成。采用问卷评估照顾者负担以及 SLE 患儿和健康儿童的父母和青少年的心理状况。
研究组和对照组在照顾者负担、父母的焦虑和抑郁以及儿童的心理状况方面无显著差异。照顾者负担与父母的抑郁、焦虑以及儿童的行为和同伴问题呈正相关，与儿童的亲社会行为呈负相关。根据回归分析，父母的抑郁和儿童的同伴关系对照顾者负担评分有正向影响。
医生应该意识到儿童期起病的 SLE 患儿及其照顾者存在心理症状，因为这会影响照顾者负担和照顾者的心理状态。关键点：•照顾者负担与父母的抑郁和焦虑呈正相关。•照顾者负担与儿童的行为和同伴问题呈正相关。•照顾者负担与儿童的亲社会行为呈负相关。
