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Caregiver burden and depression among informal caregivers of HIV-infected individuals

Journal of General Internal Medicine volume 20, pages 510–514 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the factors associated with depression in informal caregivers of HIV-infected persons.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between depression and caregiver burden among informal caregivers of HIV-infected individuals.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional study using baseline data from an ongoing randomized trial of a supportive telephone intervention.

PARTICIPANTS: One hundred seventy-six dyads of HIV patients and their informal caregiver.

MEASUREMENTS: Depression was defined as a Beck Depression Inventory >10. A Caregiver Strain Index >6 identified informal caregivers with a high caregiver burden. We used logistic regression to identify characteristics that were associated with depression in the informal caregiver.

RESULTS: Informal caregivers were 42 years old (SD, 13), 53% female, 59% nonwhite, and 30% had education beyond high school. Forty-seven percent of informal caregivers were the patient’s partner, 18% a friend, and 35% a family member. Twenty-seven percent of informal caregivers had a high caregiver burden, and 50% were depressed. We found significantly greater odds of informal caregiver depression with high caregiver burden (OR, 6.08; 95% CI, 2.40 to 15.4), informal caregiver medical comorbidity besides HIV (OR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.09 to 4.92), spending all day together (OR, 3.92; 95% CI, 1.59 to 9.69), having to help others besides the HIV patient (OR, 2.55; 95% CI, 1.14 to 5.74), and duration of the HIV patient’s diagnosis (OR, 1.01 per month; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.01).

CONCLUSIONS: High caregiver burden was strongly associated with depression among HIV-infected individuals’ informal caregivers, who themselves had difficult life circumstances. Informal caregivers of HIV patients may be in need of both mental health services and assistance in caregiving.

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Affiliations

  1. Research Unit, Division of General Internal Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA

    Paul A. Pirraglia MD, MPH, Debra S. Herman PhD, Elizabeth Trisvan BSW, Rosalie A. Lopez, Christopher S. Torgersen BA, Ann Marie Van Hof BS, Bradley J. Anderson PhD & Michael D. Stein MD

  2. Department of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

    Paul A. Pirraglia MD, MPH, Duane Bishop MD, Debra S. Herman PhD, Bradley J. Anderson PhD, Ivan Miller PhD & Michael D. Stein MD

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA

    Duane Bishop MD

  4. Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University and Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA

    Ivan Miller PhD

Authors
  1. Paul A. Pirraglia MD, MPH
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  2. Duane Bishop MD
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  3. Debra S. Herman PhD
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  4. Elizabeth Trisvan BSW
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  5. Rosalie A. Lopez
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  6. Christopher S. Torgersen BA
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  7. Ann Marie Van Hof BS
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  8. Bradley J. Anderson PhD
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  9. Ivan Miller PhD
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  10. Michael D. Stein MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paul A. Pirraglia MD, MPH.

Additional information

There are no conflicts of interest to report on the part of any author of this manuscript.

Earlier findings of this work were presented at the NIMH International Research Conference on the Role of Families in Preventing and Adapting to HIV/AIDS, Atlanta, GA, July 22, 2004.

This work was supported by NIMH grant R01 MH63051.

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Pirraglia, P.A., Bishop, D., Herman, D.S. et al. Caregiver burden and depression among informal caregivers of HIV-infected individuals. J GEN INTERN MED 20, 510–514 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1497.2005.0073.x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1497.2005.0073.x

Key Words

  • caregivers
  • depression
  • HIV