Predictors of depressive symptoms and physical health in caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia.

This cross-sectional study examined relationships among factors influencing caregiver burden, depressive symptoms, and physical health in family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia. Two hundred family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia completed standardized questionnaires related to depressive symptoms, physical health, perceptions of burden, coping, and social support. The results revealed that 19.5% of family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia experienced significant depressive symptoms and 65.5% perceived themselves in poor physical health. Burden, self-controlling coping strategies, and physical health status were all independently predictive of depressive symptoms. Two emotion-focused coping strategies (self-controlling and escape-avoidance) were independently predictive of caregiver burden. Only burden predicted physical health status. The findings suggest that health professionals who provide community care for those with schizophrenia need to consider the "unit of care" as the family rather than the individual. The health status of family caregivers should be routinely assessed. Individualized interventions to reduce family burden could include community-based health professionals as well as trained community volunteers, opportunities for social interaction, and improving self-care for all family members.

Factors associated with depression among Thai female workers in the electronics industry.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the factors associated with depression among female workers in the electronics industry. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A cross-sectional study was performed during the period of March 2010. A sample of 444 females working in the electronics industry-located in Ayutthaya province, Thailand-were selected by stratified random sampling. Data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire. Depression was assessed through utilization of the Center Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D). Data regarding socio-demographics, employment history, personal crises, family relationships, effort-reward imbalance and personal resources were included to assess all factors influencing depression. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the predictability of factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression in female workers was 28.8%. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that those with poor family relationships, low reward and poor social support had 5.83 times (95% CI: 2.66-12.79), 2.58 times (95% CI: 1.20-5.53) and 4.63 times (95% CI: 1.60 to 13.40) higher risk of suffering from depression, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that improving family relationships, rewards and social support can be important strategies in the prevention of depression in female workers. Surveillance on depression in female workers should be conducted in the industry. Existing rewards should be reviewed and family relationships and social support should be enhanced, in order to decrease the impact of depression in female workers.

Predictors of depression in Thai women.

This cross-sectional correlational study examined the associations between depression and family history of depression, early loss of mother before age 11, number of stressful life events, women's role strains, interpersonal conflict, parental role strain, perceived stress, social support, and sense of belonging in 142 Thai women (77 depressed and 65 nondepressed). Results from chi-square tests and t tests revealed that compared to nondepressed women, depressed women were more likely to have a family history of depression and history of loss of mother before age 11; significantly higher stressful life events, parental role strain, interpersonal conflict, and perceived stress; and significantly lower interpersonal resources, perceived social support, and sense of belonging. Results from logistic regression, however, showed that only family history of depression, perceived stress, and sense of belonging predicted depression in Thai women. Results from path analysis showed that 66% of the variance of depression was explained by the proposed model. Perceived stress had the strongest direct effect on severity of depression. Family history of depression had both direct and indirect effects on severity of depression. Number of stressful life events, interpersonal conflict, parental role strain, perceived social support, and sense of belonging had indirect but not direct effects on severity of depression. Loss of mother before age 11 and interpersonal resources had neither direct nor indirect effects on severity of depression. Results from this study contributed significant information for understanding depression in Thai women and can help health care providers in Thailand to provide better care for depressed patients and prevent depression in Thai women.