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Quality of life among caregivers of patients with eating disorders

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Abstract

Purpose

To analyse health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its associated social and clinical variables among a sample of caregivers of patients with eating disorders (ED).

Methods

It is a cross-sectional study involving 145 patients receiving outpatient treatment for an ED and 246 related caregivers. ED patients completed two self-administered questionnaires: the Health-Related Quality of Life in ED-short form and Eating Attitudes Test-26 questionnaires. Caregivers completed four self-administered questionnaires: the Short Form-12, Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire-EU version, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Anorectic Behaviour Observation Scale. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Chi-square and Fisher’s exact test were applied to examine the inter-variable relationships.

Results

Caregivers had low scores on the mental health component of the SF-12 (P < 0.05). Low SF-12 scores were associated with a greater perceived care burden in the stress domains in interpersonal relationships (beta = −0.360, SE = 0.162, P = 0.029) and the need to urge their sick relatives to undertake healthful activities (beta = −0.340, SE = 0.155, P = 0.031).

Conclusions

Low scores in the mental health domain of HRQoL among caregivers of patients with EDs indicate the need to pay particular attention to caregivers’ emotional status, especially among mothers and partners.

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Abbreviations

ABOS:

Anorectic Behaviour Observation Scale

ANOVA:

Analysis of Variance

CGI:

Clinical Global Index

DSM:

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

EAT-26:

Eating Attitudes Test-26

ED:

Eating disorder

EDNOS:

Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified

HADS:

The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale

HeRQoLED-s:

Health-Related Quality of Life for Eating Disorders Questionnaire-short form

HRQoL:

Health-related quality of life

ICC:

Intraclass Correlation Coefficient

IEQ-EU:

Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire—EU Version

MCS:

Mental Component Scale

MHF:

Mental Health and Functionality Domain

PCS:

Physical Component Scale

SD:

Standard Deviation

SE:

Standard Error

SF-12:

Short-Form Health Survey-12

SocM:

Social Maladjustment Domain

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Acknowledgments

This study was partly funded by the Carlos III Health Institute (project PI06/0921 “The caring experience and its impact on the quality of life of ED patient caregivers. A follow-up study”, awarded to principal investigator Angel Padierna). We also thank the Research Committee of the Galdakao-Usansolo Hospital for the help in editing this article. The authors also acknowledge editorial assistance provided by Patrick Skerrett. And we are very grateful to the individuals with an ED and their caregivers who collaborated with us in our research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Unit, Galdakao-Usansolo Hospital, 9th Floor, Barrio Labeaga, s/n, Galdakao, 48960, Bizkaia, Spain

    Josune Martín

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Galdakao-Usansolo Hospital, Barrio Labeaga s/n, Galdakao, 48960, Bizkaia, Spain

    Angel Padierna

  3. Research Unit, Galdakao-Usansolo Hospital—CIBER, Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Barrio Labeaga s/n, Galdakao, 48960, Bizkaia, Spain

    Urko Aguirre, José Mª Quintana & Carlota Las Hayas

  4. Department of Psychiatry, Ortuella Mental Health Center, Avenida del Minero no 1, Ortuella, 48530, Bizkaia, Spain

    Pedro Muñoz

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  1. Josune Martín
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Correspondence to Josune Martín.

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Martín, J., Padierna, A., Aguirre, U. et al. Quality of life among caregivers of patients with eating disorders. Qual Life Res 20, 1359–1369 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-011-9873-z

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