Burden among Caregivers of Person with Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder: A Comparative Study

Jaya Bharti Jaya Bharti

doi:10.25215/0204.091

Abstract

This is a cross-sectional comparative study with the aim to compare two patient groups of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder and their respective caregivers with the objectives to quantify and compare the burden in caregivers of person with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder and to study the relationship between them. In this study, 40 patients schizophrenia, 40 patients of schizoaffective disorder, along with their 80 respective caregivers were taken on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Subjects were assessed using Socio-demographic and clinical sheet &BAS. Appropriate statistics such as mean, standard deviation, chi-square test, unpaired t test, Pearson’s correlation were applied to analyze the data. The results of the study revealed considerable burden of care in families of the patients and a significantly greater burden of care in caregivers of patients with schizoaffective especially in the following domains: spouse related, caregivers’ routine, physical and mental health, taking responsibility, patient’s behaviour and caregiver’s strategy. Some of the demographic variables like age and education etc. were also found to have significant correlation with burden of care.

Highlights

Chronic Mentally ill patientGoldman et al (1981) defined the chronically mentally ill as “ persons who suffer certain mental or emotional disorder(organic Brain syndrome, schizophrenia, Recurrent depressive and Manic depressive disorder, paranoid and other psychosis) plus other disorders that may become chronic that erode or prevent the development of their functional capacities in relation to three or more primary aspect of daily life-personal, hygiene and self-care, self-care
Caregiver burden associated with mental illnesses refers to negative responses that occur when caregivers assume an unpaid and unanticipated responsibility for the person for whom they are caring who has disabling mental health problems
The broad objective of this study is to critically examine the families of person with chronic mental illness and the challenges they face in living with the person and Following specific objectives were formulated: 1. To explore the impact of burden in caregivers of person with chronic mental illness (Schizophrenia, schizoaffective)

Summary

Chronic Mentally ill patient

Goldman et al (1981) defined the chronically mentally ill as “ persons who suffer certain mental or emotional disorder(organic Brain syndrome, schizophrenia, Recurrent depressive and Manic depressive disorder, paranoid and other psychosis) plus other disorders that may become chronic that erode or prevent the development of their functional capacities in relation to three or more primary aspect of daily life-personal, hygiene and self-care, self-care. Burden among Caregivers of Person with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: A Comparative study direction, interpersonal relationship, social transaction, learning and recreation and that erode or prevent development of their economic self-sufficiency”

Caregiver burden

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DISCUSSION

CONCLUSIONS