Despite the large literature corpus about the factors related to depression; several factors such as caregiving obligation and the interrelationships among the different variables related to depression have been scarcely studied. A recent article by researchers from the CuiDsalud Group, have discovered the determinants of depression in primary caregivers of disabled older relatives.
This was achieved through a cross-sectional study, using a probabilistic sample of Spanish caregivers. Structured interviews were conducted during 2013 to discover the sense of obligation for caregivings, perceived burden, stressors and depression. Data were analysed through Path analysis method as a way to identify the role played by different factors.
Depression had a direct and positive association with perceived burden, behavioural problems, and social pressure, and it was indirectly related through perceived burden to behavioural problems, independence for the activities of daily living and beliefs of obligation.
The relevance of the research to clinical practice includes the importance of understanding the perceived obligation of caregiving related to both internal, or social pressure, and external, or beliefs of obligation, sources of obligation.
The full text is available at: del-Pino-Casado R, Palomino-Moral PA, Pastor-Bravo MM, Frías-Osuna A. Determinants of depression in primary caregivers of disabled older relatives: a path analysis. BMC geriatrics. 2017;17(1):274.
