Factors related to high caregiver burden of wives of patients with alcohol dependence syndrome: A case-control study from Eastern India.

BACKGROUND

The caregiver burden in psychiatric illness is profound. However, the burden on spouses of patients with ADS remains a quest for medical research. The present study was done to assess the caregiver (wives) burden in a group of patients suffering from ADS as compared with that of schizophrenia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted in the psychiatric ward. A detailed comparative assessment was done between the caregiver burden and quality of life of wives whose spouses were diagnosed with schizophrenia and alcohol dependence syndrome.

RESULT

The average burden perceived by spouses in schizophrenia was 77.69% ±1.51 across all domains as compared with spouses of an alcohol group (78.39 ± 1.69). Factors related to high burden and low quality of life among wives of the alcoholic group were found to be residing in rural areas, living in nuclear families, critical in-laws and noncooperative family members, severely abused, and having two or more children.

DISCUSSION

The caregiver burden in the spouse of a male ADS is comparable with the burden of the spouse of schizophrenia. Spouses (wives) of addicts need more appreciation and support from the other family members mostly in-laws.