Disability of Patients and Caregiver Burden in Bipolar Affective Disorder: A Co-relational Study

Introduction: Disability is defined as interference with activities of the whole person in relation to the immediate environment. BPAD is identified as the sixth leading cause of disability during middle years of life. Burden is defined as presence of problems, difficulties or adverse events which affect the lives of the psychiatric patient’s significant others. Illness in the patient has impact on the work, social relationship and leisure activities of family members. Very few Indian studies have dealt with burden and disability and they have studied family burden. Present study is conducted to compare the caregiver burden and the disability among BPAD patients. Objectives: (i)To study the socio-demographic variables of the patient group in relation to their disability (ii) To study the patients’ disability in relation to the duration of illness (iii)To study the socio-demographic variables of care givers in relation to the burden experienced by them (iv)To study the correlation between the caregiver burden and disability of the patients. Materials and Methods: This is a cross sectional hospital based study conducted over a period of six months. The study sample consisted of seventy patients diagnosed to have bipolar affective disorder and their respective care givers. Patients were administered the Indian disability evaluation and assessment scale (IDEAS) to assess their disability. Care givers were administered Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBIS) to assess the burden experienced by them. The diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder is made in accordance to ICD-10 criteria. Results and Conclusions: The mean age of the patients is 33.97 ± 9.8. Severe disability is present in younger patients, in those with low family income. The mean age of the care givers is 36.2 ±11.64. Significant amount of burden is experienced by female caregivers and in families where there is domestic violence.