Anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction in parents caring for children with cystic fibrosis

• Published in: Pediatric pulmonology Vol. 46; no. 7; pp. 672 - 682
• Main Authors: Besier, Tanja, Born, Anja, Henrich, Gerhard, Hinz, Andreas, Quittner, Alexandra L., Goldbeck, Lutz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.07.2011; Wiley-Liss; Wiley
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; anxiety; Anxiety Disorders - physiopathology; Anxiety Disorders - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Caregivers - psychology; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; cystic fibrosis; Cystic Fibrosis - physiopathology; Cystic Fibrosis - psychology; Depression; Depressive Disorder - physiopathology; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Errors of metabolism; Female; Germany - epidemiology; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; life satisfaction; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Miscellaneous hereditary metabolic disorders; Mood disorders; parent caregivers; Parents; Prevalence; Psychological Tests; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Quality of Life; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; Germany; Human; Mood disorder; Respiratory disease; Parent; Satisfaction; Metabolic diseases; Depression; Cystic fibrosis; Genetic disease; Digestive diseases; parent caregivers; Anxiety; life satisfaction; Child; Pancreatic disease; Medicine
• ISSN: 8755-6863; 1099-0496
• DOI: 10.1002/ppul.21423

Objective To assess the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression and the extent of life satisfaction in parents caring for children with cystic fibrosis (CF) in Germany. Methods The study included 650 caregivers of 564 children with CF ages 0–17, who completed the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES‐D) and the Questions on Life Satisfaction (FLZM). Results More than one‐third (37.2%) of parents showed elevated levels of anxious symptoms, compared to 18.9% of a population sample (P ≤ 0.001) and significantly more parents reported elevated levels of depressive symptoms compared to a community sample (28% vs. 21%, P = 0.01). Higher levels of anxious and depressive symptoms were associated with lower life satisfaction (P < 0.001). Conclusions High levels of anxious and depressive symptoms among parents of children with CF suggested that annual symptom screening is warranted. This will facilitate identification of those at risk and provide referrals and intervention for those who are in need of it. Pediatr. Pulmonol. 2011; 46:672–682. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.