"For my health, it’s not a problem, but only my sadness is”: Prevalence of depression and its predictors among dementia caregivers in Ghana

Impact Partners

1. Johns Hopkins University, Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Maryland, United States of America

2. University of Ghana, Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, Accra, Ghana

3. University of Ghana, Center for Ageing Studies, Accra, Ghana

4. University of Ghana, Medical School, Department of Family Medicine Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana 
   

Each informal caregiver in West Africa contributes about 2,000 hours of support annually, equivalent to over 80 unpaid full-time jobs valued at approximately $800 million.

Globally, about 46.8 million people are living with dementia, with 60% residing in low- and middle-income countries. Sub-Saharan Africa will experience one of the largest increases in dementia cases in the next 4-26 years, rising from 3.48 million in 2030 to 7.62 million by 2050.

Our Study. We assessed the mental health of 85 informal family caregivers in Greater Accra, Ghana using two evidence-supported tools:

• Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Measures depressive symptoms.

• Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18). Assesses general psychological distress.

Findings.

• Overall Depression Rates. 52% of caregivers showed clinically significant depressive symptoms.

• Primary vs. Secondary Caregivers. Among primary caregivers, the depression rate was higher at 61%, compared to the total sample's 52%.

• Activity Impact. Caregivers dealing with more daily living difficulties had lower depression scores, while those engaged in higher levels of support tasks exhibited greater depressive symptoms.Impact Partners

• Gender. No significant difference in distress levels between male and female caregivers after adjusting for other factors.

Our multidisciplinary team's social entreprenurship and innovative approach was essential to the depth in perspective gained. This study is an initial first step toward evidence informed and culturally tailored interventions for family members providing care.

Boots on the Ground Call to Action. 

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To improve caregiver well-being:

1. Integrate support programs for family care providers by embedding mental health services and respite care into healthcare systems.

2. Train healthcare providers to recognize and support caregiver stress.

3. Develop community networks that share resources and support groups to reduce caregiver isolation.

4. Involve men in future caregiving research studies for a comprehensive understanding of caregiving dynamics.

#TogetherWeMove