DEPRESSION AND OTHER PSYCHIATRIC MORBIDITY IN CARERS OF ELDERLY PEOPLE LIVING AT HOME

Objective-To describe the mental health of a community sample of carer s of elderly people with dementia, depression, or physical disability and to compare that with the mental health of other adults living in t he household and of those living alone. Design-Assessment of psychiatr ic morbidity and physical disability with standardised questionnaire i n randomly selected enumeration districts; subjects were interviewed a t home. Setting-London Borough of Islington. Subjects-700 people aged greater than or equal to 65 and other co-residents. Main outcome measu re-Depression measured with standardised interview. Results-The preval ence of depression was not significantly higher in carers overall (15% ) than in coresidents (11%). Being a woman carer was a significant pre dictor of psychiatric illness. Depression was more common in the carer s of people with a psychiatric disorder than in coresidents (24% v 11% , P < 0.05) and in those living alone (19%). Depression was most commo n (47%) in women carers of people with dementia. Conclusion-The increa se in psychiatric morbidity reported in carers of people with psychiat ric disorders may reflect the lack of a confiding relationship.