Comparison of Caregivers of Schizophrenia and Chronic Renal Failure Patients in Terms of Family Burden, Social Support and Psychological Well-Being

Burak Kulaksizoglu,Buket Cinemre

doi:10.4236/jbm.2019.74004

Abstract

Objective: Schizophrenia is a lifelong chronic psychiatric disorder with a relatively early onset. Renal failure, a chronic physical disorder has also negative effects on the families and causes a serious burden in a similar manner. It is aimed in this study to investigate to what extent the burden, social support and psychological wellbeing among the caregivers of schizophrenic patients compare to those of the caregivers of chronic renal failure patients. Methods: Relatives of patients with schizophrenia and chronic renal failure were included in the study. Each group consisted of 30 volunteers. The volunteers completed demographical information questionnaire, Burden Interview Scale (BIS), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and General Health Questionnaire (GSA). Results: A dominance of female caregivers was found in the study. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of burden. Among the caregivers of chronic renal failure was a positive correlation both between age and burden and education and social support respectively. It was found out that relatives of chronic renal failure got less social support and reported a poorer psychological wellbeing when compared to the relatives of schizophrenic patients. A negative correlation was found between social support and burden in both of the study groups. Conclusion: The results of this study underline the importance of social support in alleviating the burden of the caregivers of chronic patients. The monitarisation of the psychological states of caregivers of both the schizophrenic and renal failure patients has to be taken into consideration.

Highlights

Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder that usually begins in the early stages of life and continues throughout life
The degree of similarity or difference between the burden of a chronic mental illness and the burden of a chronic physical illness on the lives of people living together has not been adequately investigated. Based on all these findings, we investigated the differences in caregiver burden, social support and mental health among relatives of patients with schizophrenia and relatives of patients with chronic renal failure
Of the caregivers included in the study, 44 (73.3%) were female and 16 (26.7%) were male. Both schizophrenia and chronic renal failure patients had a higher number of female caregivers in their groups. 23 (76.7%) of the caregivers of schizophrenia patients and 21 (70%) of the caregivers of chronic renal failure patients were women

Summary

Introduction

Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder that usually begins in the early stages of life and continues throughout life. Schizophrenia is a disease that requires lifelong medication and causes significant disability. It adversely affects the family as much as the patient and brings heavy burdens to the family from different angles. In the acute stages of schizophrenia, the patient's unintelligible symptoms and unpredictable behaviors such as hallucinations and delusions lead to feelings such as fear, helplessness and anger in their family members. It is stated that such feelings are more intense especially at the first episodes and especially when the patients are younger [1]. The onset of a serious mental illness in the family leads to feelings similar to emotional reactions to death [2]

Methods

Results

Conclusion