Abstract
Background: Schizophrenia is one of the most devastating, and a chronic, relapsing mental illness associated with increased morbidity, poor quality of life and low recovery rates. In India, families are the major providers of long-term care and they represent an important supportive, social network for patients with schizophrenia. Indian families experience significant degrees of burden in the care of their relatives with schizophrenia. Illness severity and patients' disability have a direct positive relationship with perceived family burden.
 Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study, done to assess the correlation between family burden in primary caregivers and disability in patients with schizophrenia. 60 patients with schizophrenia and their primary caregivers were recruited from the outpatient and inpatient units of Department of Psychiatry, Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai. IDEAS (Indian Disability Evaluation Assessment Scale) scale was used to assess the disability of patients with schizophrenia and BAS (Burden Assessment Schedule) of SCARF (Schizophrenia Research Foundation) was used to assess the family burden in their primary caregivers.
 Results: Among the 60 primary caregivers, (48.3%) were having caregiver burden between 50 and 70%. (56.4%) of female caregivers had burden range 50- 70%. (56.5%) of caregivers delivering care for patients with illness between 15 and 20 years experienced burden >70%. Statistical analysis revealed that the correlation between caregiver burden and disability was statistically significant.
 Conclusions: The severity of caregiver burden increases with increasing grades of disability and indicates that caregiver burden affects the overall outcome of schizophrenia
 Keywords: Schizophrenia, Caregiver burden, Disability, Outcome
Highlights
Schizophrenia is one of the most devastating, and distressing psychiatric disorders
The severity of caregiver burden increases with increasing grades of disability and indicates that caregiver burden affects the overall outcome of schizophrenia Keywords: Schizophrenia, Caregiver burden, Disability, Outcome
There is a positive correlation between caregiver burden and disability
Summary
Schizophrenia is one of the most devastating, and distressing psychiatric disorders It is a chronic, relapsing mental illness associated with increased mortality, poor quality of life and low recovery rates. 6 – 7 million Indians suffer from this disorder variously described as the “Cancer of the mind” and the “Greatest disabler of youth” It starts in the most productive period of life 15 – 45 years. 1 Disabilities that may result directly include poor self-care, inability to manage the tasks of daily living, social withdrawal, poor functioning in affinitive roles and work incapacity. These patients depend on the family for care provision. The individual has many barriers or limitations to overcome for better community living
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Medical and Biomedical Studies
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
