Depression and the Caregiver Burden for Schizophrenia Patients

Abstract

Background and objectives: Schizophrenia is a recurring psychiatric condition that severely impairs patients' ability to function in all major spheres of their lives. Since the deinstitutionalization policy, families, especially the primary caregiver who bears a heavy physical and emotional strain, are responsible for providing care. According to estimates, caregivers' rates of depression are higher than those of the general population. The primary caregivers' burden of care, their level of depression, and related caregiver factors were all examined in this crosssectional study. Methods: After gathering socio-demographic and caregiving information, 60 consenting primary caregivers of patients with an ICD-10 diagnosis of schizophrenia were evaluated for burden of care and depression using the Burden Assessment Schedule and the Patient Health Questionnaire–9. Results: A majority of the 35 female and 25 male carers reported experiencing moderate to severe depression, and all had moderate to high levels of burden. More burden was felt by spouses (p=0.0038), older carers (p=0.01), and those with lower educational levels (p=0.01). Depression and caregiving burden had a statistically significant positive connection (p=0.000). Conclusion: Despite the ease with which psychiatric therapies are accessible in one of India's largest metropolitan areas, caregivers continue to experience stress and depression. This may affect not only the caregiver but also the patient's care and the course of the sickness.