[The perceived burden of care and its correlates in schizophrenia]

The present study aimed to investigate the perceived level of burden of care and its correlates in family members of schizophrenia patients.

The study included 239 schizophrenic patients that were followed-up at the psychiatric outpatient clinics of Izmir Ataturk Education and Research Hospital, and Celal Bayar University Medical School, and 239 of their primary caregivers. Patients were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANNS), Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF), Social Functioning Scale (SFS), Brief Cognitive State Examination (BCE), and UKU Side Effect Rating Scale. Their primary caregivers were assessed using the Perceived Family Burden Scale (PFBS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI).

Caregiver PFBS scores ere correlated with male patients, female caregivers, inadequate social support, economic difficulty, the presence of chronic physical disorder in the caregivers, patient violence toward the caregivers, total duration of illness, the number of patient hospitalizations, PANNS total and subscale scores, and SFS, BDI, and BAI scores. Perceived burden of care was predicted by the severity of the patients' positive symptoms, SFS independence/competence and interpersonal functioning subscale scores, and caregivers' anxiety and depression levels.

In order to decrease the burden of care in schizophrenia we recommend effective management of patient symptoms, enhancement of patient social functioning, interventions that target caregivers with high levels anxiety and depression, and social support provided by healthcare professionals.