Objective: To evaluate the impact of caring for individuals with Parkinson’s disease on caregivers’ social activities and mental health, and to assess depression and quality of life in caregivers.

Background: Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder, manifests through the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the Substantia Nigra. Common risk factors include age, male gender, and environmental influences. While the precise cause remains elusive in most cases, genetic factors play a role. Care for Parkinson’s patients primarily falls on family members and partners, impacting caregivers’ social lives and mental health. The research underscores the correlation between caregiving and heightened levels of depression, with potential consequences including an accelerated decline in physical and cognitive function and reduced quality of life.

Method: In this cross-sectional study, we used the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) to assess mental health among companions of Parkinson’s disease patients. Participants were selected from companions accompanying Parkinson’s patients to the clinic during a specified period. Informed consent was obtained from all participants in the study.

Data collected from the questionnaires were entered into statistical software for analysis, ensuring accuracy and consistency during the data entry process. Statistical tests and techniques, including descriptive statistics, were employed to analyze the data. The findings derived from the statistical analysis were interpreted, focusing on identifying patterns, correlations, and associations between caregiver burden, mental health outcomes, and relevant demographic or clinical variables.

Results: A total of 99 subjects with a mean age of 46.41±14.085 were evaluated, 58.6% of them were women, 9.1% already had a history of mental health problems and 11.1% had a positive family history of depression. the evaluated depression severity based on the HDRS scores is demonstrated in Figure 1.

Conclusion: Interventions such as social support and caregiver education have shown promise in delaying adverse outcomes, prompting further investigation into their efficacy for Parkinson’s patients’ caregivers.

Figure 1

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/incidence-of-depression-in-the-caregivers-of-parkinsons-disease-patients/