Factors associated with family burden in schizophrenia

Abstract

Background: Family burden affects the health of both patient and caregivers. Identifying determinants of family care burden in patients with schizophrenia has significant psychosocial implications. Aim: To investigate the sociodemographic factors associated with caregiver burden in patients with schizophrenia. Materials and Methods: A series of one hundred schizophrenia within the age group of 18–47 and above and having more than 2 year's history of illness and 100 caregivers of such a patient have been taken up for the study, within the age group of 18–63 and above. To identify the primary care givers of the above patients, Pollack and Perlick scale was used. The International Classification of Disease-10 – Diagnostic Criteria for Research were used for psychiatric diagnosis. Patient and caregivers of the patients were assessed on self-developed sociodemographic pro forma. Pearson correlation coefficient test was used to study the correlation between patient, caregivers, and family burden. Results: Family care burden has statistically significant correlation with patients advanced age (r = 0.239, P< 0.017), duration of illness (r = 0.210, P< 0.036), and patient income (r = 0.202, P< 0.044). The correlation analysis also correlated positively with family care burden and caregivers advanced age (r = 0.226, P< 0.034), low education level (r = −0.215, P< 0.032), poor family income (r = 0.205, P< 0.043), and length of contact with patients (r = 0.242, P< 0.021). Conclusion: Patient advanced ages, duration of illness, poor patient income, caregivers' advanced ages, low education level, poor family income, and length of contact with patients were the factors most likely associated with family care burden in schizophrenia.

Keywords

• Caregivers
• factors associated with family care burden
• schizophrenia