Psychological distress, perceived burden and quality of life in caregivers of persons with schizophrenia

Abstract

Findings indicate the need for intervention for family caregivers to enable them cope more effectively with the demands of caregiving. Psychoeducation and participation in peer support groups are advocated as low resource and effective outcome strategies for caregivers in India.

Stress and burden faced by family caregivers of people with schizophrenia and early psychosis in Hong Kong

“…As a result, families, especially in Chinese society, play a significant role in care provision for relatives with schizophrenia . However, the burden of caregiving has been shown to cause a range of psychological and emotional distress among caregivers in many parts of the world . This study aimed to assess the degree of stress and burden among caregivers of relatives with schizophrenia and early psychosis in Hong Kong and to identify suitable measures to support them.…”

The hidden patient: chronic physical morbidity, psychological distress, and quality of life in caregivers of older adults

“…An informal caregiver is an unpaid or paid person, usually a family member or a friend, who provides assistance with activities of daily living to an individual with ailing physical and/or mental health. The task of caring for an older adult with chronic health conditions requires the caregiver to have good physical and mental health because of the considerable physical and emotional demands involved in caregiving, which often includes assisting the older adult with personal hygiene, ensuring that medical needs are met, and dealing with the uncertain prognosis on a daily basis …”

“…Caregivers are gradually increasing in age, placing them at an increased risk of developing chronic conditions, which has several implications . For instance, caregivers diagnosed with chronic illnesses such as diabetes must maintain their blood sugar level by making sure to take their medication and eat well‐balanced meals on time, and they must go for regular medical check‐ups, which can be time‐consuming and emotionally draining.…”

Caregiving roles: when will they be routinely recognized and supported?

“…The work of Khamis (2017), for example, investigated the distress and predictors of parental caregivers in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, while Stanley et al (2017) explored similar factors and quality of life in psychosis carers from India, and Azman et al (2017) used a qualitative design to review coping strategies of mental health carers in Malaysia. This edition also includes studies that have adopted a single issue approach to investigation.…”