Prevalence and associated factors of depression among stroke family caregivers on follow up at Jimma medical center, southwest, Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Taking care of stroke patients puts a high burden on their caregivers, and this leads to emotional disturbances like depression. However, little is known about the prevalence and associated factors of depression among family caregivers of stroke patients in Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of depression among family caregivers of patients with stroke who have follow-up in Jimma Medical Center.

Method: An institution-based cross-sectional study of 306 family caregivers of stroke patients was conducted using a consecutive sampling method. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The Patient Health Questionnaires-9 (PHQ-9) was used to screen outcome variable (i.e., depression). The data was entered into Epi-data version 4.6 and exported to the statistical package for social science version 25 for analysis. Bivariable analyses followed by multivariable logistic regression models were performed. The association between depression and associated factors was estimated using an odds ratio of 95%CI and a p-value of less than 0.05 in the final model.

Result: From a total 310 sample size 306 family caregivers were participated, making a response rate of 98.7%. The prevalence of depression among family caregivers was found to be 35.9% (95% CI = 30.54, 41.35). Poor social support (AOR = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.05-5.08), severe physical dependence of patients (AOR = 3.09, 95% CI: 1.44-6.60), lack of medical insurance (AOR = 2.52, 95% CI: 1.34-4.75), spending more than 13 hours per day on care (AOR = 5.72, 95% CI: 2.32-8.12), and illness duration of 6 months (AOR = 3.50, 95% CI: 1.61-7.60) were factors significantly associated with depression.

Conclusions and recommendations: This study found that more than one third of family caregivers of stroke patients have depression and almost the same with similar studies conducted across different countries of the world. Poor social support of caregivers, no health insurance by caregivers, greater than 13 hours of care per day, less than six months of illness duration, and severe dependence of patients on caregivers were variables associated with depression. Early detection of depression by health professional working at outpatient service and intervention of identified risk factors among stroke family caregivers were recommended for Jimma medical center and local health sector directors were recommended.

Fig 1. (A) The red color of pie chart indicates caregivers with depression, while blue color represents those who are non-depressed.

(B) The number on each color of pie chart indicate the percentage of caregivers’ depression 35.9% (n = 110) and non-depressed 64.05%(n = 196) at 95% CI based on PHQ-9 screening tool.