Archives of Mental Health (Jan 2015)
Disability and caregiver burden in schizophrenia
Abstract
Background: Family caregivers experience significant burden in taking care of their patients with schizophrenia. As caregiver burden might vary over the course of schizophrenia, research on its predictors is needed. Aims: The aim of the study was to determine the association of the disability of patients with chronic schizophrenia and their caregivers' burden. Methods: Sixty patients and their caregiver dyads admitted to an in-patient facility of Institute of mental health, Hyderabad were interviewed. Caregiver's burden was assessed using burden assessment schedule (BAS). Patient's disability was assessed with World health organization disability assessment schedule (WHODAS 2.0). Results: The mean disability by WHODAS in our sample was 87.85 denoting mild disability and caregiver burden score showed a mean value of 81.75 indicating severe burden. The correlation of total severity of disability of chronic schizophrenia with caregiver burden had a correlation co-efficient(R) of 0.57 indicating moderate correlation. Conclusion: Caregivers of chronic schizophrenia patients experience enormous burden and are at risk for mental disorders. The severity of this burden is related to the severity of disability and different domains of disability are affected differently. Our study there by adds to the available evidence and points to the need for clinicians to reduce disability by improving rehabilitation services so that caregiver burden is reduced.
