Care burden and depression levels in the relatives of patients with bipolar disorder [J Psy Nurs]
J Psy Nurs. 2024; 15(2): 132-140 | DOI: 10.14744/phd.2024.09634

Care burden and depression levels in the relatives of patients with bipolar disorder

Halis Yılmaz1, Fatma Demirkıran2
1Department of Psychiatric, Pamukkale University, Habib Kızıltaş Psychiatric Hospital, Denizli, Türkiye
2Department of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Aydın Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Nursing, Aydın, Türkiye

INTRODUCTION: Bipolar disorder (BD) is an affective disorder characterized by a chronic course and places a heavy financial and moral burden on caregivers. The study was carried out to identify care burden, depression, and related factors in the caregivers of bipolar patients.
METHODS: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted on the relatives of 71 BD-diagnosed patients hospitalized in the psychiatry clinic of a tertiary hospital. Data were collected using the introductory information form, the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).
RESULTS: The mean age of the caregivers was 47.55±9.03, and 52.1% of them were women. A significant difference was evident between the BDI scores of caregivers, being single, having a low education level, not working in any job, not having any social security, living in an extended family, needing a helper in caring for their patients, having a physical illness and increasing the number of children they have (p<0.05). The relationship between the Zarit Scale scores and the caregivers’ lack of social security, closeness to their patients as a spouse, child, or sibling, and living in a different house from the patients also yielded a significant difference (p<0.05).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Providing psychoeducation to caregivers concerning coping skills, stress management, and symptoms and episodes of the disease may bring benefits in alleviating their care burden and depression symptoms.

Keywords: Bipolar disorder, care burden, depression, psychiatric nursing.

Corresponding Author: Halis Yılmaz, Türkiye
Manuscript Language: English
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