Perceived Level of Burden of Care and Its Association with Socio-Demographic Profile of Patients with Schizophrenia and Their Caregivers

Background: Schizophrenia is a clinical syndrome of variable, but profoundly disruptive, psychopathology that involves cognition, emotion, perception and behaviour. Caregiver burden refers to negative response that occurs when the caregiver assumes an unpaid and unanticipated responsibility for the person with disabling mental health problems. The burden varies with socio-demographic parameters of patients and caregivers. Aims & Objectives: To study socio demographic details of schizophrenia patients and caregivers. To assess perceived level of burden in caregivers and it’s association with socio demographic profile of patients and caregivers. Materials & Methods: Ethics committee approval and informed consent was taken. 100 consecutive patients with their primary caregiver, presenting to psychiatry OPD of general hospital, satisfying inclusion criteria, were included in the study. Socio-demographic details of caregiver were collected using semi-structured proforma. Caregiver’s perceived burden was assessed with Burden Assessment Schedule. Data thus obtained, was pooled & analyzed by using SPSS software, descriptive statistics, mean, percentage, Chi- Square test. Results: The sample consisted of 52 female & 48 male patients. Prevalence of burden in caregivers was found to be 52%. The perceived burden was found to be high in caregivers of female patients, patients of older age, less educated, single, and unemployed patients. Majority of caregivers were female and of older age. The burden perceived was found to be significantly high in female caregivers, especially mother.