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Maria Fischer1, Georg Kemmler, Ullrich Meise
1HPE-Tirol, Innsbruck, Osterreich. maria.fischer47@aon.at
Psychiatrische Praxis
|February 26, 2004
Summary
Relatives of long-term schizophrenia patients experience significantly lower quality of life. Key factors impacting their well-being include fear of discrimination and concerns about patient care, highlighting areas for improved support services.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
- Quality of Life Research
Background:
- Family caregivers of long-term schizophrenia patients face unique challenges.
- Assessing the quality of life (QoL) of these relatives is crucial for targeted support.
- Understanding predictors of QoL can inform service development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the QoL of relatives caring for long-term schizophrenia patients in Tyrol.
- To compare their QoL with that of the general population.
- To identify variables associated with the relatives' QoL.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 44 relatives of schizophrenia patients and 90 controls.
- Utilized the WHOQOL-100 questionnaire and custom questions.
- Assessed QoL across multiple domains.
Main Results:
- Relatives reported significantly lower QoL across most domains compared to controls.
- Fear of discrimination, patient care concerns, and lack of security negatively impacted relatives' QoL.
- Living separately from the patient was associated with higher relative QoL.
Conclusions:
- There is a clear need to enhance mental health services for relatives of schizophrenia patients.
- Developing and expanding self-help groups is essential.
- Targeted interventions should address identified factors negatively affecting relatives' QoL.