Depression in parents following the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis

Article Outline

• Copyright

Parents of 45 children recently diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) were tested with the Beck Depression Inventory at two time points by Glasscoe et al at the University of Liverpool. Overall, there was no difference in the rates of depression between parents of children affected by CF and matched control couples. However, when the data were stratified by age, the parents of children diagnosed with CF who were less than 9 months old at the time of the initial study had an increased rate of mild depression compared to controls and to the parents of older children with CF. These symptoms of depression were still present, although less common, on follow-up 9 months later. Medical providers caring for young infants diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, for example, through newborn screening programs, should carefully assess the mood of the parents as they are vulnerable to developing depression.