Psychological wellbeing among carers of people with spinal cord injury : a preliminary investigation from South India

• Published in: Spinal cord Vol. 38; no. 9; pp. 559 - 562
• Main Authors: MANIGANDAN, C, SARAVANAN, B, MACADEN, A, GOPALAN, L, THARION, G, BHATTACHARJI, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing 01.09.2000; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological - physiology; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Caregivers - psychology; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Female; Humans; India; Injuries of the nervous system and the skull. Diseases due to physical agents; Male; Medical sciences; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Psychological Tests; Spinal Cord Injuries - psychology; Spinal Cord Injuries - rehabilitation; Stress, Psychological - epidemiology; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; Tropical medicine; India; Human; Nervous system diseases; Spinal cord; Cross sectional study; Central nervous system disease; Caregiver; Evolution; Spinal cord disease; Trauma; Morbidity; Psychological well being
• ISSN: 1362-4393; 1476-5624
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.sc.3101035

A cross-sectional study that assessed people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and their carers who attended the 3-day health care program. The study examined the nature and prevalence of the factors associated with psychological morbidity among carers of people with SCI. A community reintegrated population of persons with SCI and their carers attended the 3-day program in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Christian Medical College Hospitals, Vellore, South India. Thirty-eight people with SCI and their carers participated in this cross-sectional study. Thirty (78.9%) carers of people with SCI were psychologically distressed. While carers were distressed, they were not significantly depressed. Educational level of carers and suicidal behavior of people with SCI were significantly associated with psychological distress. The findings of this study suggest that health care workers should have a high index of suspicion of psychological morbidity, in carers of people with SCI. Identification of risk factors may lead to useful target interventions.