Factors associated with psychiatric morbidities in attendant of admitted patients: An experience from a rural tertiary care

Background: Attendants of hospitalized patients in rural tertiary care hospitals face a significant mental health burden, and stressors such as prolonged caregiving, financial strain, and limited access to mental health services pose a higher risk. In our society, family members become de facto caregivers. However, this remains an understudied part, especially in rural contexts. Aims and Objectives: Our study aimed to assess the prevalence and identify factors associated with psychiatric morbidities among attendants of patients admitted to a rural tertiary care hospital. The objectives were to determine the burden of psychiatric disorders, assess associations with place of admission and sociodemographic variables, and correlate morbidities with other factors. Materials and Methods: This study was cross-sectional, conducted over 6 months in various wards of a rural tertiary care hospital. Sixty-seven primary attendants were recruited via consecutive convenience sampling. A proforma for the collection of sociodemographic and clinical data was used, and psychiatric morbidity was assessed using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview-7. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 24.0 version IBPM. Chi-square tests, Odds ratios (ORs), and binary logistic regression were calculated. Results: Prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among caregivers was 29.9%. We obtained Significant correlations, including female gender (OR=2.74, P=0.041) and attending a patient in the psychiatry ward (OR=3.20, P=0.018). Belonging to an upper socioeconomic status demonstrated a strong protective effect (OR=0.04, P=0.003). No significant associations were obtained for age, residence, education, daily care hours, or patient illness severity. Conclusion: A higher proportion of caregivers have psychiatric morbidity, especially female attendants and those in psychiatry wards, who are particularly vulnerable. Socioeconomic status is an important moderating factor. This study mandates the urgent need for integrating routine mental health screening and support services for caregivers within rural hospital setups to mitigate this hidden mental health burden.