Physical and psychological health of carers of young people with first episode psychosis

Abner Weng Cheong Poon; Jackie Curtis; Philip Ward; Celia Loneragan; Julia Lappin

doi:10.1177/1039856217748250

Physical and psychological health of carers of young people with first episode psychosis

Australas Psychiatry. 2018 Apr;26(2):184-188. doi: 10.1177/1039856217748250. Epub 2018 Jan 15.

Authors

Abner Weng Cheong Poon¹, Jackie Curtis², Philip Ward³, Celia Loneragan⁴, Julia Lappin⁵

Affiliations

¹ Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
² Clinical Director, Youth Mental Health, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW; Conjoint Senior Lecturer, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
³ Associate Professor and Postgraduate Research Coordinator, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW; Director, Schizophrenia Research Unit, South Western Sydney Local Health District, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁴ Research Assistant, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁵ Senior Lecturer, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

PMID: 29334229
DOI: 10.1177/1039856217748250

Abstract

Objective: Carers of people with psychosis may experience psychological distress and caregiving burden. However, few studies have examined both psychological and physical health of carers of young people with first episode psychosis (FEP).

Method: A total of 32 young people with FEP and 42 of their carers were recruited from a mental health service. Standardised scales were administered to assess carers' psychological distress and risk for development of Type 2 diabetes. Their body mass index, waist circumference and blood pressure were measured.

Results: A total of 24% ( n = 10) of carers experienced high/very high psychological distress and 39.0% ( n = 16) had high risk for Type 2 diabetes. It was common for carers to be overweight ( n = 33, 78.6%) and to have hypertension ( n = 14, 33.3%). Carers' higher levels of psychological distress were associated with shorter duration of illness in the young person.

Conclusions: Caring for a young person with FEP is associated with poor physical and psychological health. Findings show the importance of supporting carers' physical and psychological health early in treatment of young people with FEP.

Keywords: carer; first episode psychosis; mental health; physical health; youth.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Caregivers / psychology*
Caregivers / statistics & numerical data
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / epidemiology
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / etiology
Family*
Female
Humans
Hypertension* / epidemiology
Hypertension* / etiology
Male
Middle Aged
Overweight* / epidemiology
Overweight* / etiology
Psychotic Disorders / epidemiology
Psychotic Disorders / nursing*
Stress, Psychological* / epidemiology
Stress, Psychological* / etiology
Young Adult