Burden and psychological effects : caregiver experiences in a psychiatric outpatient unit in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: Worldwide, research into experiences of care givers are gradually increasing and their central role in community care is being acknowledged. Caregivers experience a multidimensional range of problems, often associated with their caregiving role. It becomes important to identify these areas of burden and provide necessary support. The study sought to determine the prevalence of psychological distress and experience of burden of care among the caregivers of mentally ill patients. Method: A cross sectional descriptive study. Eligible consecutive subjects were recruited to the study over a 6 month period. Fifty three caregiver relatives of patients diagnosed with a psychiatric illness were assessed using the General Health questionnaire version 12, an Adapted Burden of Care (BOC) Schedule and a Sociodemographic questionnaire. Results: The caregivers were 51% male and 49% female. Most were above 35years in age (66.1%). They were either parents (38.8%), siblings (18.4%), uncle/aunt (14.3%), first cousin (12.2%) or other extended relatives (16.3%). Almost half of the relatives had psychological distress (43.8%) and most of which (63%) had more burden. The mean score on the BOC among the caregivers was 41 (±18.68SD), with scores ranging from 0.00-89.00, and 45.3% of relatives experiencing more than average burden of care. Conclusion: There is a significant level of burden and psychological distress experienced by caregivers in this study location. It is recommended that effectively planned interventions are targeted at alleviating this burden and at improving the ability of caregivers to cope, within the Nigerian mental health service delivery system.

Schizophrenia: its psychological effects on family caregivers

“…Due to the 'burden of care' in their care giving processes, caregivers experienced anxiety, fear, sadness, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, loss of libido and depression. Similar observations were made in other studies done on family caregivers (American Psychiatric Association 2014, Oshodi et al 2012). Depression, anxiety, irascibility, and cognitive disruptions were outcomes of the caregiver stress process (Pearlin et al 1990).…”

The Role of Caregiver Burden in Quality of Life and Perception of Patients with Chronic Kidney Failure on Hemodialysis

“…Additionally, the results of regression analysis demonstrated that caregiver burden was able to predict 0.05 of physical quality of life and mental quality of life (dimensions of quality of life) and 0.07 of physical suffering (dimension of perception of suffering), 0.05 of mental suffering (dimension of perception of suffering), and 0.05 of existential suffering (another dimension of perception of suffering). These results are in line with the results obtained from some previously conducted studies determining that caregiver burden was significantly and positively related to physical and mental dimensions of quality of life and it was significantly and inversely correlated with physical, mental, and existential dimensions of perception of suffering (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25).…”

“…Schulz et al, in their study, found that caregivers' perception of suffering was correlated with patients' pain and suffering (21). The findings obtained from a study carried out by Oshodi et al indicated that patients' caregivers suffered from high levels of psychological stress (22).…”

Impact of emotional distress on caregivers burden among Nigerian children with Obstructive Adenotonsillar hypertrophy

“…Specifically, studies have identified a bi-directional relationship between caregiving burden and psychological distress among patients with various chronic medical illnesses [13,15,16]. Unfortunately, while caregiver burden has been extensively examined in relation to many chronic illnesses [15][16][17][18][19], there appears to be none among caregivers of children with OAT. Similar scenarios have been reported in the developed world [15] as caregivers have often been referred to as the hidden patients [16].…”