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. 2024;14(7):1495-1505.
doi: 10.3233/JPD-240014.

Burden, Anxiety, and Depression Among Caregivers of Parkinson's Disease Patients

Sohaila Alshimemeri  1 , Hamood AlSudais  2 , Nada K Alamri  1 , Abdulaziz M Alshoumar  3 , Shatha K Bin Dher  3 , Mohammed Hassan Maashi  3
Affiliations

Burden, Anxiety, and Depression Among Caregivers of Parkinson's Disease Patients

Sohaila Alshimemeri et al. J Parkinsons Dis. 2024.

Abstract

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a disabling neurodegenerative movement disorder. Most PD patients are looked after by caregivers who are close to them regardless of their relationship. Caregivers may experience a notable impact on their mental health as they dedicate a significant amount of time to the patient while observing the progression of the disease.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of burden, depression, anxiety, and stress among caregivers of PD patients.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis between July and September 2023 among caregivers of PD patients following in the Movement Disorders Clinic at King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and through the Saudi Parkinson's Society. The data collection was done anonymously through an electronic self-administered questionnaire. Caregiver burden was assessed by using the validated Arabic version of the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) scale, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) was used to assess the presence and level of anxiety and depression.

Results: There were 118 caregivers (53.39% female, 33.9% aged between 35- 45 years, and 73.73% were sons/daughters) caring for 118 patients (57.63%, male, 38.98% aged between 66- 76). The ZBI score was highest among sibling caregivers. Moreover, burden scores were higher among those who provided care more frequently than others.

Conclusions: Our study revealed that PD caregivers face a high risk of care burden, especially those who are siblings and spend longer periods in patient care. Additionally, female caregivers reported higher rates of depression, anxiety, and stress.

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease; anxiety; burden; caregiver burden; depression; stress.

Plain language summary

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a serious condition that affects movement, and most PD patients are cared for by someone close to them, such as a family member. This caregiving can significantly impact the mental health of the caregiver, who often spends a lot of time caring for the patient and witnessing the disease’s progression. We studied caregivers of PD patients at the Movement Disorders Clinic at King Khalid University Hospital and through the Saudi Parkinson’s Society from July to September 2023. Caregivers completed an anonymous electronic questionnaire, and we measured caregiver burden using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) and assessed anxiety and depression using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS). Our study included 118 caregivers (53.39% female, most aged 35– 45 years, and 73.73% were sons or daughters) caring for 118 PD patients (57.63% male, most aged 66– 76 years). Caregivers who were siblings or cared for the patient daily had higher burden scores, and female caregivers had higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress compared to males. Our study revealed that PD caregivers face a high risk of care burden, especially those who are siblings and spend longer periods in patient care, and that female caregivers exhibited an elevated risk of experiencing depression, anxiety, or stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to report.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Scatter plot of DASS-8 separate scores (A, B, C) and the total score (D) versus Zarit burden interview score.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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