A new study shows that caregivers of patients residing in institutions suffer from depression more than caregivers of patients residing at home. Researchers from Case Western University, Cleveland, OH, followed 211 caregivers of patients who received more than three days of mechanical ventilation.

Of the caregivers, 163 were enrolled in an eight-week disease management intervention program, consisting of individualized case management services from an advanced practice nurse. All caregivers were assessed at patient's hospital discharge and two months later for depression and for burden related to physical health, disrupted schedule, financial concerns, lack of family support, physical health concerns, and self esteem.

Researchers found that caregivers of patients in institutions reported higher depression, lack of family support, and greater health problems than did caregivers of patients living at home. At discharge, 50.2 percent of caregivers reported symptoms of depression and more than half were still depressed two months later. The disease management program had no significant impact on the majority of variables.

However, at two months, 54 percent of caregivers in the disease management group had no or mild depression, as compared to 34.5 percent of the control group. Overall, spouses were at highest risk for depression but reported the lowest sense of burden from lack of family support. Researchers conclude that further research needs to be conducted on interventions aimed at reducing depression for this caregiver population.

The study appears in the December issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians.

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