A STUDY ON BURDEN AMONG SPOUSE OF PATIENT WITH MOOD DISORDER

Mood disorder is severe and complex mental illness all over the world. Spouse plays a vital role in supporting family members who are sick, inrm and disabled. It is rapidly becoming a millennium illness that has to be consid-ered. The global burden of mood disorder is increasing in day by day life. Depression alone is reported to be one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, Respondents for 4.4 % of last (2011) years of healthy life due to premature death or disability (DALYs) on a global basis. Mood disorder affects person's activities of daily living, occupational abilities, psycho-social functioning and sexual life. Quality of life is affected to a great degree. In all cases, however, family functioning was signicantly impaired. In India, especially, nuclear family pattern is becoming a vogue today. Spouse of patient with mood disorder were supported by the joint family system in earlier days. Spouse not only provides practical help and personal care but also give emotional support to the patient. Mostly, one-third to one-half of the spouse suffers signicant psychological distress and experience higher rate of mental ill health than the general population. Major ndings of this research was most of the respondent's (58 %) were having severe burden. 37 % of respondents were having moderate burden and 5 % of respondents ware having mild burden