Association between depressive syndrome and visual complaints among elderly caregivers

To determine depressive syndrome in community-dwelling elderly caregivers; and to test the association between such syndrome and both visual complaints (VC) and aspects of care.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 332 elderly caregivers. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was used to screen for depressive symptoms (cutoff > 5 points). Logistic regression was performed to identify associations between depression and both VC and aspects related to care.

Results

Median age of the caregivers was 68 years. The majority was female (75.9%) and took care of a spouse (84.3%). The prevalence of depressive syndrome was 22.6%. The syndrome was associated with VC when it affected activities of daily living (OR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.37-4.27) and caring for an individual with cognitive impairment (OR = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.05-3.26).

Conclusions

While measured aspects of care did not exert an influence on the incidence of depressive symptoms, VC associated to functional limitation and caring for elderly individuals with cognitive impairment was associated with such symptoms in the elderly caregivers.

Aged care; carers; depression; visual complaint; functional limitation

Activity	% Involvement (shared care)	% Performed alone (only provider)
Preparing meals	82.8	77.1
Performing household chores	81.9	71.7
Going to appointments	61.4	47.0
Therapeutic activities¹	58.1	47.0
Managing finances	51.5	48.5
Medications	41.3	37.3
Dressing	16.3	13.3
Personal hygiene	14.8	10.5
Mobility	12.7	9.3
Using the toilet	12.0	9.0
Feeding	6.3	4.8

Visual complaints and associated care factors	% Prevalence within depressive syndrome indicator	OR	95% CI
VC_b¹	35.5	2.50	1.44-4.34*
Dependence for hygiene	24.0	0.08	0.02-0.29*
Dependence for using telephone	60.0	0.52	0.30-0.90*
Dependence for travelling	53.3	0.50	0.30-0.85*
Dependence for preparing meals	25.3	0.54	0.30-0.96**
Care for elderly individual with CI	54.4	1.70	0.99-2.93**

GDS	Item	% Total prevalence¹ (95% CI)	Visual complaint² OR (95% CI)	Care-related variable³ OR (95% CI)
1	Are you basically satisfied with your life?	9.9 (07-13)	3.1 (1.4-6.7)*	1.6 (0.7-3.5)
2	Have you dropped many of your activities and interests?	53.6 (48-59)	1.4 (0.8-2.4)	1.5 (1.0-2.5)**
3	Do you feel that your life is empty?	25.6 (21-30)	2.4 (1.4-4.2)*	0.9 (0.5-1.6)
4	Do you often get bored?	37.0 (32-42)	1.5 (0.9-2.5)	2.1 (1.3-3.4)*
5	Are you in good spirits most of the time?	13.6 (10-17)	1.7 (0.8-3.7)	1.6 (0.8-3.2)
6	Are you afraid that something bad is going to happen to you?	43.7 (38-49)	1.8 (1.0-3.0)**	1.1 (0.7-1.7)
7	Do you feel happy most of the time?	10.5 (07-14)	0.5 (0.2-1.1)	1.6 (0.7-3.4)
8	Do you feel helpless?	15.7 (12-20)	1.9 (1.0-3.6)**	1.1 (0.5-2.1)
9	Do you prefer to stay at home, rather than going out and doing new things?	52.7 (47-58)	1.3 (0.7-2.1)	1.3 (0.8-2.0)
10	Do you feel you have more problems with your memory than most?	27.1 (22-32)	1.2 (0.7-2.1)	1.0 (0.6-1.7)
11	Do you think it is wonderful to be alive?	3.3 (01-05)	2.2 (0.6-7.9)	3.4 (0.8-14.2)
12	Do you feel pretty worthless the way you are now?	16.3 (12-20)	1.6 (0.8-3.2)	1.8 (0.9-3.4)
13	Do you feel full of energy?	22.3 (18-27)	2.8 (1.6-5.1)*	1.6 (0.9-2.8)
14	Do you feel that your situation is hopeless?	13.6 (10-17)	1.8 (0.9-3.7)	1.0 (0.5-2.0)
15	Do you think that most people are better off than you are?	30.4 (25-35)	1.1 (0.6-2.0)	0.9 (0.6-1.6)

Instituto de Psiquiatria da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Av. Venceslau Brás, 71 Fundos, 22295-140 Rio de Janeiro - RJ Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 21) 3873-5510 - Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brazil
E-mail: editora@ipub.ufrj.br

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[1] Address for correspondence: Allan Gustavo Brigola. Federal University of São Carlos, Nursing Post Graduate Program, Rodovia Washington Luis, Km 235 – 13565-905 – São Carlos, SP, Brazil Telephone: (+55 16) 99221-2216 E-mail: allanbrig@gmail.com / a.brigola@uea.ac.uk