PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to investigate perceived caregiver burden and quality of life (QOL) among Chinese family caregivers for people with serious mental illness (SMI).



DESIGN AND METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study design. Participants were recruited and independently interviewed using the Chinese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life—Brief Form, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Social Support Rating Scale, and Family Burden Interview Schedule as outcome measures.



FINDINGS

In this study, 363 family caregivers were recruited. This study found that caregivers in Guangzhou perceived significantly higher levels of burden than did family caregivers in Hong Kong (all p values <.001). Weekly hours of contact with patients; subjective support; and subdomains of physical, psychological, and environmental QOL were significant predictors of perceived overall caregiver burden. Education levels, depressive symptoms, objective support, and objective caregiver burden significantly predicted caregivers’ QOL.



PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Study findings suggest there is a need for developing and implementing effective intervention strategies to reduce caregiver burden and improve caregivers’ QOL. Health policy makers should provide relevant resources, such as financial assistance with care for family caregivers, as it is important that the health policy fully recognizes the role of family caregivers as a healthcare resource in caring for people with SMI.

Perceived Burden and Quality of Life in Chinese Caregivers of People With Serious Mental Illness: A Comparison Cross-Sectional Survey.

This study aims to describe generic and disease-specific quality of life (QOL) and its predictors among Chinese inpatients with schizophrenia. A total of 209 subjects participated in this study: 121 men and 88 women. Their ages ranged from 18 to 64, with a mean age of 33.85 (S.D.=10.84). The total scores of generic and disease-specific QOL were statistically significant, correlated with patients׳ total symptom severity scores and social support scores (all P values less than 0.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed that monthly household income and subjective social support were statistically significant predictors of generic and disease-specific QOL. Duration of hospitalization, support use degree, negative and general psychopathology symptoms were additional significant predictors of disease-specific QOL. This study suggests the importance of improving subjective social support in order to promote generic and disease-specific QOL. Controlling negative and general psychopathology symptoms and improving support use degree could additionally enhance the disease-specific QOL in patients with schizophrenia.

Generic and disease-specific quality of life and its predictors among Chinese inpatients with schizophrenia.

Objective To explore the social support of patients with mental disorders and its influence on quality of life(QOL).Methods With questionnaires,406 patients with mental disorders were surveyed for their social support and quality of life.Results Patients' total score of social support was lower than that of the national norm.Total scores and scores of 3 dimensions of social support of patients with schizophrenia were lower than those of patients with affective disorder.Factors influencing social support of patients with schizophrenia included family income,marriage status,living with the family or not,employed or not before hospitalization and age.Factors influencing social support of patients with affective disorder were marriage status and living with the family or not before hospitalization.There was positive correlation between social support and QOL of patients with mental disorders.Social support was the significant influencing factor of the QOL(P0.01).Conclusion Patients with mental disorders receive lower social support than normal people do and patients with schizophrenia get lower social support than patients with affective disorder do.The more social support the patient gets,the better QOL the patient would have.

Zhou Ying

Papers

Study on Social Support of Patients with Mental Disorders and Its Influence on Quality of Life