A review on Burden of family caregivers for schizophrenic patient

Chandana Debnath , Dr. Irom Shirly , Dr. Saphabi Devi Nongthombam

Burden, family, caregivers, schizophrenic patient

A family caregiver is a person such as parent, spouse, sibling, relative, friend, neighbor, who provides care to the patient with schizophrenia without any compensation. Burden refers to the significant emotional, physical, social, and financial strain placed on family caregivers to manage the patient with schizophrenia. Daily routines, career, finances, and mental well-being of caregivers disrupt due to maintain their role and responsibilities. Schizophrenia is a severe and disabling mental health disorder that disrupts individual's thought processes, perceptions, emotional responsiveness and social interactions. Caregiver is required when an individual suffering from severe form of physical and mental illness. The responsibility of caregiver is to meet the physical and psychological needs of the dependent patient. Every individual has some basic needs that are essential to maintain quality of life. Caregiver is responsible for meeting the basic needs of patient. As the disease progresses it carries with it a tremendous burden both physically and psychologically on the family members who are giving care. Objective of the review is to explore burden of family caregivers and its associated demographic factors. Systematic literature review was done by using different electronic data base such as Google scholar, Google, PubMed for this review. Several descriptive studies were conducted in this area and observed that caregiver's burden can be objective or subjective. Objective burdens were negative patient symptoms; disruption of the caregiver's domestic routine, social activities and leisure, social isolation, financial and employment difficulties. Subjective burdens were fear, sadness, anger, guilt, loss, stigma and rejection. Most of the caregivers felt burden from moderate to severe. High amount of burden was present in their physical, mental and financial areas. Females were significantly more burdened than males. Age, education, duration of illness, relation with patients was significantly associated with burden. This review will help to understand the level of burden among caregivers of schizophrenia. So that we can conduct different research that will increase their coping ability and resilience which will give importance on prevention of the burden instead of the intervention of caregivers burden.

Volume 14 Issue 1, January-2026

Pages : c849-c853