A cross-sectional study of caregiver burden and depressive symptoms associated with frailty in Sikkim, India

Introduction: The older population is growing worldwide, which places a significant burden on caregivers. As a result, caregivers of frail older adults are at increased risk of developing depressive symptoms. Aims: This cross-sectional study explored the role of sociodemographic variables in caregiver burden and depressive symptoms among the caregivers of older adults with frailty syndrome. Methods: A total of 240 caregivers of older adults with frailty syndrome were assessed using the Zarit Burden Interview-22, and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. The study used stratified convenience sampling to select participants. The data were analysed using Jamovi software 2.6.6. Results: The mean age of caregivers was 51.5±13.9 years and the majority of caregivers were female (53.3%). Most of the caregivers (220; 91.6%) experienced moderate to severe burden, and mild depressive symptoms were observed in 95 caregivers (39.5%). In the mean percentage of Zarit Burden Interview-22, the highest mean was noted in the personal role strain domain (52.3±6.53). For depressive symptoms, the highest mean score was observed in the depressed affect domain (18.9± 2.12). The highest mean was noted in the personal strain domain (36.6±6.77). A significant relationship was found between frailty syndrome and depressive symptoms (P<0.001). The sociodemographic variables did not yield evidence of relationship with frailty syndrome. Conclusions: The findings of this study highlight various aspects of caregiver burden and depressive symptoms among caregivers of older adults with frailty syndrome, providing an in-depth understanding of their experiences. Implications for practice: Routine screening for caregiver burden and depressive symptoms can improve caregiver wellbeing and enhance care for older adults with frailty syndrome.