HELSINKI: When grandparents lend a hand in caring for their grandchildren, mothers are less likely to suffer from depression, making them less dependent on anti-depressant drugs, a new study has found.
According to media reports, a new study by Finnish researchers published in the Journal of Population Studies found that mothers whose parents or in-laws contributed to the care of grandchildren or great-grandchildren , such mothers are less likely to take antidepressants.
The study, which looked at 488,000 mothers of young children in Finland, found that antidepressant use was highest among mothers whose parents and in-laws lived far away or who were old and sick.
Study co-author and researcher at the University of Helsinki, Nina Matus Semola, said previous research has even shown that grandparents or grandparents in good health can care for children better and more effectively.
Having elderly and frail grandparents can put an extra burden on mothers as they cannot expect such parents or in-laws to support their children, said Nina Mates.
