Burden of care, quality of life and related factors in family members of patients with schizophrenia / 中国心理卫生杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To analyze the level and related factors of burden of care,quality of life in family members of patients with schizophrenia.Methods:Totally 312 family members of patients with schizophrenia in 5 blocks of Jing'an District,Shanghai,who consented the investigation,were investigated.Burden of care were evaluated with the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI),and quality of life of the relatives by World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and Chinese Residents SWB abridged (SWBS-CC20).ZBI score equal or higher than 39 indicated a heavy burden of care,while the score less than 39 indicated a low burden of care.Results:Totally 199 cases (63.8％) were in a heavy burden,whose ZBI score was (52.1 ± 10.8),and 113 cases (36.2％) were in a low burden with a mean score of (23.1 ± 10.4).Their WHOQOL-BREF score and SWBS-CC20 score were lower than normal model (Ps ＜ 0.001).The burden was heavy to those whose spouse was involved (β =-7.76).Patient's age was negatively correlated with quality of life (β3 =-0.18).Relationship with the patient,education level and monthly family income were positively correlated with quality of life (β =1.65,1.68,1.66).Conclusion:Those families of patients with schizophrenia,who are aged,low educated,low paid,or whose spouse have been diagnosed with schizophrenia,may have a heavy burden of care,and low quality of life.