Rates and predictors of depression status among caregivers of patients with COPD hospitalized for acute exacerbations: a prospective study

Figures & data

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of caregivers with and without depressive symptoms

Variables	No symptoms (n=42)	Depression (n=45)	P-value
Context of care
Ages in years, mean ± SD	61.79±12.82	62.91±13.49	0.69
Gender
Female	35 (83.30)	43 (95.60)	0.13
Male	7 (16.70)	2 (4.40)
Relationship with the patient
Spouse/partner	27 (64.30)	37 (82.20)	0.06
Other	15 (35.70)	8 (17.80)
Cohabitation
Yes	35 (83.30)	39 (86.70)	0.66
No	7 (16.70)	6 (13.30)
Caregiving demands
Caregiving period, year
≤1	5 (11.90)	2 (4.40)	0.38
>1	37 (88.10)	43 (95.60)
Caregiving hours per week
≤20	10 (23.80)	11 (24.40)	0.95
>20	32 (76.20)	34 (75.60)
Caregiver’s burden
Low	35 (83.30)	26 (57.80)	0.03
Moderate	3 (7.10)	8 (17.80)
High	4 (9.50)	11 (24.40)
Caregiver resources
Affective support
Normal	37 (88.10)	30 (66.70)	0.02
Scarce	5 (11.90)	15 (33.30)
Confidential support
Normal	38 (90.50)	33 (73.30)	0.04
Scarce	4 (9.50)	12 (26.70)
Receive help from other caregivers
Yes	10 (23.80)	9 (20.00)	0.67
No	32 (76.20)	36 (80.00)
Patient characteristics
Airflow limitation
Mild/moderate	33 (78.60)	21 (46.70)	0.00
Severe/very severe	9 (21.40)	24 (53.30)
Dyspnea score
0–1	11 (26.20)	5 (11.60)	0.14
2	8 (19.00)	6 (14.00)
≥3	23 (54.80)	32 (74.40)
Frailty
Not frail	12 (28.60)	10 (22.20)	0.26
Vulnerable	10 (23.80)	6 (13.30)
Frail	20 (47.60)	29 (64.40)
Number of dependencies
0–2	35 (83.30)	37 (82.20)	0.89
≥3	7 (16.70)	8 (17.80)

Note: Data are given as n (%) unless otherwise noted.

Abbreviation: SD, standard deviation.

Table 2 Predictors of caregiver depression during hospitalization of their patients

Variables	Model 1	Model 2	Model 3	Model 4	Final model
Context of care
Age	0.99 (0.95–1.03)
Female	3.19 (0.49–20.59)
Spouse/partner	5.07 (0.85–30.2)**				2.65 (0.85–8.26)**
Cohabitation	0.27 (0.04–1.92)
Caregiving demands
Caregiving period >1 year		3.25 (0.54–9.59)
>20 hours per week		0.86 (0.30–2.44)
Caregiver’s burden
Low		Reference
Moderate		3.73 (0.88–5.77)**
High		3.78 (1.1–3.4)*			Excluded
Caregiver’s resources
Normal affective support			0.36 (0.09–1.38)
Normal confidential			0.52 (0.12–2.21)
Receive help from another caregiver			1.16 (0.40–3.39)
Patient characteristics
Severe/very severe airflow limitation				4.66 (1.67–12.97)*	3.88 (1.42–10.65)*
Dyspnea score
0–1				Reference	Reference
2				1.73 (0.35–8.66)	1.89 (0.37–9.63)
≥3				3.53 (0.91–13.60)**	4.10 (1.11–15.22)*
Frailty of patient
Not frail				Reference
Vulnerable				0.70 (0.17–2.87)
Frail				0.92 (0.27–3.17)
≥3 dependencies				0.74 (0.21–2.68)
R^2	11.10%	12.90%	9.9%	20.90%	24.10%

Notes: Data represent odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) unless otherwise noted.

* P<0.05;

** P<0.10.

Figure 1 Probabilities of change between the states of depression, nondepression, and death.

Table 3 Predictors of remission and new episodes of depression after hospital discharge

Variables	Remission model	New episodes model
>20 hours per week	0.1 (0.02–0.65)*	–
≥3 dependencies at home	0.18 (0.03–1.20)**	9.68 (1.74–53.85)*
R^2, %	32.1	25.1

Notes: Data represent odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) unless otherwise noted.

* P<0.05;

** P<0.10.