A comparative study of psychiatric morbidity and associated factors in carers of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder in Nigeria

Abstract

Background Schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder are two major, long-term psychiatric disorders, often associated with considerable functional impairment. Unlike in the West, where paid informal caregivers take up the role of looking after patients with chronic illnesses, the family of the mentally ill in sub-Saharan Africa are actively involved in rendering care to their psychiatrically ill relatives. The objective of this study was to study the psychiatric morbidity in carers of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder in Nigeria. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary hospital in the Southwest geo-political zone of Nigeria. Carers of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder were included in the study. Data was gathered on patient level of functioning, as well as carer burden and carer psychological morbidity. Results The overall prevalence rate of psychiatric morbidity among the caregivers was 28.6%. There was no statistically significant difference in the sociodemographics, psychiatric morbidity, caregiver burden and patients’ functioning when the two carer groups were compared. The presence of burden in caregivers and severe impairment in patients’ functioning were significantly associated with psychiatric morbidity in caregivers of patients with schizophrenia, but not with caregivers of bipolar patients Conclusions Providing care to patients with illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder is often demanding, and may be associated with significant strain, leading to psychological distress and morbidity among caregivers.