Self-Management Among Chinese People With Schizophrenia and Their Caregivers: A Qualitative Study

This study explores the practice of self-management in Chinese people with schizophrenia and their caregivers. Twenty-one patients and 14 caregivers were interviewed. Four themes were identified, reflecting the practice of self-management from both the patients' and caregivers' perspective: managing medication, monitoring and dealing with symptoms, maintaining social relations, and seeking health information and maintaining medical appointments. In general, self-management practices among Chinese people with schizophrenia were not optimal. This study highlights the importance of developing and implementing family-based self-management programs for Chinese people with schizophrenia and their family in order to enhance their self-management abilities and improve care outcomes. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.