Depression, anxiety and quality of life in caregiver spouses of veterans with chronic spinal cord injury

• Published in: Iranian journal of psychiatry 2014-07, Vol.9 (3), p.133-136
• Main Authors: Ebrahimzadeh, Mohammad Hosein, Shojaee, Bibi Soheyla, Golhasani-Keshtan, Farideh, Moharari, Fatemeh, Kachooei, Amir Reza, Fattahi, Asieh Sadat
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Caregiver; Depression; HADS; Original; Quality of Life; Spinal Cord Injury
• ISSN: 1735-4587; 2008-2215

We were curious about the degree of anxiety and depression and their effect on the quality of life of the caregivers of veterans with spinal cord injury (SCI). A convenience sample of 72 out of 120 caregiver spouses of veterans with spinal cord injury participated in our study. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were considered as a measure of depression and anxiety. The World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) was considered to evaluate the quality of life. To compare the caregivers, we enrolled 74 matched caregiver spouses of patients without spinal cord injury. The average age of the spouses was 44.7±6.5. The average time elapsed from the injury was 26.4±3.1 years. There was a significant difference in all domains of quality of life and depression between the caregivers and the control group, but there was not a significant difference in terms of anxiety. There was a negative correlation between depression and age, level of education and quality of life. Mental care support should be implemented for veterans and their spouses in addition to the provided facilities.