THE PREVALENCE OF DEPRESSION IN THE CARERS OF DEMENTIA SUFFERERS

The survey aims to evaluate psychiatric morbidity in the carers of dem entia sufferers using a semi-structured psychiatric interview. The cas e notes of consecutive referrals to four psychiatric services for the elderly in the West Midlands and a memory clinic service in Bristol we re reviewed. All referrals who fulfilled the CAMDEX criteria for mild or moderate dementia and had a carer in contact at least once a week w ere contacted. Participants were assessed using a detailed package whi ch included a Geriatric Mental State Schedule for the carers. More tha n 90% of those contacted agreed to participate. Altogether 125 patient s with dementia were assessed of whom 109 had family members or friend s as the main carer. Thirty-one (28.4%) of the carers had a case level of depression and three (2.75%) had a case level of anxiety. In addit ion, 36 (33.2%) carers had subcase levels of morbidity. First-degree r elatives showed a trend to be more likely to suffer from depression th an friends or more distant relatives. The prevalence of depression was similar among carers in the two different service settings. There was good agreement between AGECAT and RDC diagnosis of depression.