Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, India
Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, India.
Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2015 Mar;61(2):157-63. doi: 10.1177/0020764014537637. Epub 2014 Jun 19.
Taking care of patients with schizophrenia is a major source of burden to the family. Research on burden experienced by family members of patients living in rural communities is sparse.
Data were obtained from a community intervention program for psychoses in a rural community of south India, where persons with severe mental disorders were identified, treated and followed up. As part of the program, caregivers of 245 schizophrenia patients were interviewed using the Burden Assessment Schedule. Psychopathology (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale; PANSS), treatment status and disability (Indian Disability Evaluation and Assessment Scale; IDEAS) experienced by the patients were also assessed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to study the influence of different factors on the caregiver burden.
Level of burden had a significant direct correlation with disability (Pearson's r = .35; p < .01) and severity of psychopathology (r = .21; p < .01). Duration of treatment had an inverse correlation with burden (Pearson's r = -.16; p < .01). Multivariate analysis revealed that total IDEAS score (Beta = .28; t = 4.37; p ≤ .01), duration of treatment (Beta = -.17; t = -2.58; p = .01), age of the family caregiver (Beta = .15; t = 2.4; p = .02) and gender of the patient (Beta = -.13; t = -2.1; p = .04) were significant predictors of burden. The model including total IDEAS score explained 14% of variance (adjusted R (2) = .139; p < .01).
Burden experienced by family caregivers of schizophrenia patients depends on the level of disability experienced by the patient, age of the family caregivers and gender of the patient. Interventions to reduce disability of the patients may reduce the caregiver burden.
照顾精神分裂症患者是家庭的主要负担来源。针对居住在农村社区的患者的家庭成员所经历的负担的研究相对较少。
数据来自印度南部一个农村社区的精神疾病社区干预项目，在该项目中，确定、治疗和随访严重精神障碍患者。作为该项目的一部分，使用负担评估量表对 245 名精神分裂症患者的照顾者进行了访谈。还评估了患者的精神病理学（阳性和阴性综合征量表；PANSS）、治疗状况和残疾（印度残疾评估和评估量表；IDEA）。使用单变量和多变量分析来研究不同因素对照顾者负担的影响。
负担水平与残疾（Pearson's r =.35；p <.01）和精神病理学严重程度（r =.21；p <.01）有显著的直接相关性。治疗持续时间与负担呈负相关（Pearson's r = -.16；p <.01）。多变量分析显示，总 IDEAS 评分（Beta =.28；t = 4.37；p ≤.01）、治疗持续时间（Beta = -.17；t = -2.58；p =.01）、家庭照顾者的年龄（Beta =.15；t = 2.4；p =.02）和患者的性别（Beta = -.13；t = -2.1；p =.04）是负担的显著预测因素。包括总 IDEAS 评分的模型解释了 14%的方差（调整后的 R (2) =.139；p <.01）。
精神分裂症患者的家庭照顾者所经历的负担取决于患者的残疾程度、家庭照顾者的年龄和患者的性别。减少患者残疾的干预措施可能会减轻照顾者的负担。
