Caregiver Burden in Bipolar Affective Disorder

Introduction: BPADs are dimensional illnesses in which patients experience, during long term course of illness, fluctuating levels of severity of manic and depressive symptom interspersed with symptom free (euthymic) periods. The current prevalence of Bipolar Affective Disorder (BPAD) is 0.4-0.5%. Burden is defined as presence of problems, difficulties or adverse events which affect the life (lives) of the psychiatric patient’s significant others. Objective: The present study is conducted to assess the type and severity of caregiver burden among bipolar patients. Materials and methods: This is a cross sectional, hospital based study conducted over six months. The study sample consisted of seventy consecutive patients diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder and their respective care givers. Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBIS) is used to assess the burden experienced by caregivers. The diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder is made according to ICD-10 criteria.  Results and conclusions: The mean age of the care givers is 36.2 ±11.64. It is observed that severe burden is found in people who studied less than five years when compared to other groups. More burden is experienced in care givers of depressive patients than in manic patients which is statistically significant. Statistically significant level of burden is seen in female population than the male caregivers among those who are unemployed.