Caregiver Burden for Carers of Chronically Mentally Ill Patients: A Study With Families in Cyprus

Abstract

Having a chronically mentally ill person in the family presents a challenge for the entire family system, not only on a daily life basis but also regarding their psycho-emotional and social life. The present study focuses on caregivers of chronically ill patients' burden on four levels of possible disruption: the economic burden, the impact on family life, sociability, health, and behavior, and the impact of perceived aggression by considering the demographic characteristics of the caregivers, but also the socio-demographic characteristics of the chronically ill family member(s) they are taking care of. We conducted a quantitative survey with a sample of 90 family members/caregivers and the corresponding 90 chronically ill patients under their care from all districts of the Republic of Cyprus. Participants completed the "Family Burden Scale" (FBS-23) (Madianos et al., 2004), a personal information form with demographic information, and a questionnaire regarding the demographics and the illness trajectory of the chronically mentally ill family member (age of disease onset, diagnosis, frequency of episodes). Our findings showed that most caregivers providing systematic care for a family member experienced high levels of disruption in their daily routine and sociability, perceived high levels of aggressive behaviors, felt moderately affected in their health and behavior, and carried a heavy economic burden. Older participants felt a significantly higher economic burden than younger caregivers, who perceived a significantly more significant negative impact on their health and behavior from taking care of a chronically ill family member.