TY - JOUR
T1 - Physical and mental health, anxiety and depressive symptoms in caregivers of patients in vegetative state and minimally conscious state
AU - Pagani, M.
AU - Giovannetti, A. M.
AU - Covelli, V.
AU - Sattin, D.
AU - Raggi, A.
AU - Leonardi, M.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Caregivers of patients in vegetative state and minimally conscious state play a crucial role in the process of taking care and, as previous studies reported, they can suffer of high burden and negative health outcomes. The aim of this national cross-sectional study was to assess whether physical and mental health of caregivers, considering gender differences, is related to the presence of depressive symptoms, anxiety, age and patient's disease duration. Four-hundred and eighteen caregivers, 294 women and 124 men, completed the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y, Beck Depression Inventory, second version and Short Form-12. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate to which extent depressive and anxiety symptoms predict physical and mental health. Men reported higher levels of mental health state, whereas physical health was not different across gender. High levels of anxiety symptoms were associated to negative mental health outcomes in both genders, whereas depressive symptoms were found to impact on female's mental and physical health only. A comprehensive and cost-effective screening of anxiety and depressive symptoms may help to identify determinants of health worsening in order to plan, when necessary, caregivers' support.
AB - Caregivers of patients in vegetative state and minimally conscious state play a crucial role in the process of taking care and, as previous studies reported, they can suffer of high burden and negative health outcomes. The aim of this national cross-sectional study was to assess whether physical and mental health of caregivers, considering gender differences, is related to the presence of depressive symptoms, anxiety, age and patient's disease duration. Four-hundred and eighteen caregivers, 294 women and 124 men, completed the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y, Beck Depression Inventory, second version and Short Form-12. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate to which extent depressive and anxiety symptoms predict physical and mental health. Men reported higher levels of mental health state, whereas physical health was not different across gender. High levels of anxiety symptoms were associated to negative mental health outcomes in both genders, whereas depressive symptoms were found to impact on female's mental and physical health only. A comprehensive and cost-effective screening of anxiety and depressive symptoms may help to identify determinants of health worsening in order to plan, when necessary, caregivers' support.
KW - Anxiety
KW - Depression
KW - Gender
KW - Health
KW - Informal caregivers
KW - Persistent vegetative state
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84905582158&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84905582158&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/cpp.1848
DO - 10.1002/cpp.1848
M3 - Article
C2 - 23712507
AN - SCOPUS:84905582158
VL - 21
SP - 420
EP - 426
JO - Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
JF - Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
SN - 1063-3995
IS - 5
ER -