Citation

Bonsu K, Kugbey N, Ayanore MA, Atefoe EA. BMC Res. Notes 2019; 12(1): e772.

Affiliation

School of Medicine, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s13104-019-4761-7

PMID

31775897

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Caregiving is associated with several psychosocial challenges including stress, depression and anxiety. These challenges have been found to have significant negative impacts on the health and wellbeing of caregivers, but the mechanisms of these effects are poorly understood. This study examined whether depression and anxiety serve as mediators between social support and quality of life caregivers of persons with severe burns injury.

RESULTS: A sample of 100 caregivers of persons with severe burns injury were administered questionnaires to assess their depression, anxiety, social support and quality of life.

FINDINGS show that depression and anxiety were negatively correlated with quality of life whereas social support was positively correlated with quality of life.

RESULTS further showed that only depression significantly mediated the link between social support and quality of life among the caregivers. These findings emphasize the need to screen caregivers for common mental health problems and provide them support in the caregiving process to promote their health and wellbeing.

Language: en

Keywords

Anxiety; Caregiving; Depression; Ghana; Quality of life; Social support