Sociodemographic Characteristics Implicated in Severe Caregiver Burden amongst Family Caregivers of Patients with Schizophrenia: A Cross-sectional Study.
Chioma Obiageli Onyia, Julia S Lethole, Gbenga Olorunfemi, Nnabuike Chibuoke Ngene
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Sociodemographic characteristics can influence the burden of caring for patients with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia.
Aim: The aim of this study was to ascertain the sociodemographic characteristics implicated in severe caregiver burden among family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia.
Methods: Over 3 months, 300 caregivers of patients with schizophrenia were consecutively recruited at the psychiatry outpatient department in a tertiary hospital in Gauteng province, South Africa. The sociodemographic characteristics of the caregivers were ascertained. The 22-item Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI-22) was administered to the participants to measure the caregiver burden.
Results: The range of ZBI-22 was 0-75 with a median of 19.00 (interquartile range [IQR]: 13.0-30.5). Severe burden occurred in 2.33% (7/300) of the participants. The sociodemographic characteristics that had the highest percentage amongst those with the severe burden (and their median burden score plus IQR) were increasing duration of caregiving 132.0 (72.0-264.0), residing in Northern Gauteng 17.0 (13.0-30.0), age ≥50 years 28.0 (18.0-36.0), female 23.5 (15.0-34.0), married 23.5 (17.0-31.0), parent 27.0 (16.0-36.0), living with the patient 20.0 (14.0-31.0), medical comorbidity 18.5 (14.0-31.0), secondary education 19.0 (13.0-29.0) and having another family member that requires care 27.0 (17.0-42.0).
Conclusion: Caregivers with the implicated characteristics require periodic evaluation of their burden of care to offer them available support including referral to appropriate socioeconomic agencies. A future research agenda is to investigate how these characteristics contribute to the burden of care in the study setting.
Contribution: An array of sociodemographic characteristics is implicated in severe caregiver burden and their interactions in the study setting need further investigation.
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