Caregiver mental health in chronic neurological disorders: A comparative study of depression, anxiety, and OCD in Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis caregivers

Caregivers of individuals with chronic neurological disorders like Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are at an increased risk for mental health problems. While the burden on these caregivers is recognized, direct comparisons between the two groups are scarce. In this observational cross-sectional study, 240 family caregivers (120 for PD, 120 for MS) were recruited from neurology clinics in Iran. Participants underwent interviews of the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R). Data on demographics and clinical characteristics were collected. High rates of mental health issues were found in both caregiver groups. MS caregivers showed higher raw prevalence rates (Anxiety: 56%; Depression: 50%; OC symptoms: 32.9%) compared to PD caregivers (Anxiety: 50%; Depression: 36%; OC symptoms: 24.3%). However, after adjusting for confounders, multivariable logistic regression revealed that the type of disease (MS vs. PD) was not an independent predictor of anxiety, depression, or OC symptoms. Caregivers of both PD and MS patients in Iran experience a significant and comparable psychological burden, with rates of depression, anxiety, and clinically significant OC symptoms substantially exceeding population norms. While the type of neurological disorder did not independently predict mental health outcomes in this study, the findings underscore the critical need for healthcare systems to provide routine screening and targeted psychological support for all family caregivers, irrespective of the patient’s specific diagnosis. Future research should incorporate disease severity and caregiving intensity to further elucidate these relationships.