Mental health in family caregivers of patients with heart failure

Background & Aim: Family caregivers of patients with heart failure (HF) deal with a wide range of problems related to caregiving that influence their mental health. The aim of this study was to investigate the mental health status of the family caregivers of patients with HF. Methods & Materials: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 90 family caregivers of patients with HF, who referred Shahid Rajaei Cardiovascular Center, were selected through convenience sampling method. The data were collected using General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) for measuring mental health and were also analyzed by SPSS 16, and then processed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation test. Results: The mean score of GHQ-28 was 33.06 ± 14.34 (range: 9–72). The majority of caregivers (74.4%) were suspected cases of mental health disorders. Regarding to instrument subscales, the prevalence of caregivers’ problems were 65.6% in somatic symptoms, 82.2% in anxiety/insomnia, 83.3% in social dysfunction, and 25.6% in depression. The total GHQ-28 score of the caregivers gradually decreased with increasing patient’s age as in the minimum age group of the patients (aged 40 years and lower), the highest mean score of GHQ-28 was observed (P < 0.05). Conclusion: A considerable proportion of family caregivers of patients with HF were suspected cases of mental health disorders. A routine assessment of mental health in this group of caregivers should be considered to identify those at risk. Also, clinical team should design and implement effective programs aimed at improving the mental health, especially in caregiver who provide care for younger patients.