Burden of care among relatives of patients with schizophrenia in midwestern Nigeria

Background: Schizophrenia is a devastating mental disorder which places immense burden on family members. There are few studies that have explored the enormity of burden experienced by caregivers in sub-Saharan Africa. Method: Two hundred caregivers who were relatives of 200 consecutive outpatients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and undergoing treatment at the Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Uselu, Benin, between August and November 2008, were studied. The degree of burden experienced by the caregivers was assessed using the Burden Questionnaire (BQ). The patients' symptomatology was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Results: Mean financial burden score was significantly greater than the mean scores for burden of disruption of family routine and interaction, social stigma and subjective distress. Caregivers of unemployed patients had significantly higher mean burden scores compared to those of employed patients. Level of burden showed significant associations with caregivers' educational level, age of patient, employment status of patients and global rating of difficulty in coping with caregiving. Conclusion: Caregivers of patients with schizophrenia experience immense burden. Public health education as well as targeted interventions in the area of employment, financial and other support for persons with mental disorders would help to ameliorate this burden.