Depression in spouses of patients with psychiatric and physiological disorders

ABSTRACT

The aim of this research was to compare the level of depression in spouses of patients with psychiatric disorders and physiological diseases [fatal] and to study the role of gender differences, social support and stigmas in contributing depression in spouses of patients with psychiatric and fatal physiological disorder. It was hypothesized that 1-Spouses of patients suffering from psychiatric disorders would have high depression then the spouses of patients suffering from any physical fatal illness 2-Spouses of patients suffering from psychiatric disorders would have high stigma and less social support as compared to other group. 3. Female spouses would report more depression as compared to male spouses. A comparative study Different hospitals of Karachi, 2010. Sample of 75 spouses of patients suffering from both the disorders [35 Ss for physiological group] and [40 for psychological group] was collected from various hospitals and clinics of Karachi. The research instrument used were l-"An Automatic Thought Questionnaires to assess the level of depression in the spouses. 2. Interview comprising of Demographic sheet A for the details of patient and sheet B for the details of the spouse and [3]Self developed questionnaires based on 5 and 10 point rating scale to measure social stigma and social support Show that p<.05 a significant difference was found for hypotheses 1, 2 and 3. A negative co-relation was seen between spouse depression and social support for both groups and positive relation between depression and stigma for both groups. Spouses of psychiatric patients suffer more from severe depression and social stigma as compared to spouses of physiological ill patients while women are more vulnerable to develop depression