Predicting Factors of Burden among Family Caregivers of Patients with Schizophrenia in Surabaya, Indonesia

Abstract

Objective: To describe burden among Indonesian family caregivers, andexamine its predictors including family caregivers’ perceived severity ofpatients’ illness, knowledge and attitude towards schizophrenia, caregivingappraisal, and perceived social support. Method: A sample of 120 familycaregivers of schizophrenia patients visiting outpatient department of MenurMental Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia participated in this study. Datacollection was performed during January to February 2015 with simplerandom sampling to recruit the sample. Structured questionnaires for datacollection included general information of both family caregivers and thepatients, perceived severity of patients’ illness, knowledge and attitudetowards schizophrenia, caregiving appraisal, perceived social support, andburden. Descriptive statistics and standard multiple regression wereemployed for data analysis. Results: Ninety-three caregivers (77.50%)reported burden during their patient care. Perceived severity of patients’illness, knowledge about schizophrenia, attitude towards schizophrenia,caregiving appraisal, and perceived social support significantly explained51% of the variance in family caregivers’ burden (R2 = 0.51, F = 24.07, P <0.001). Significant predictors were perceived severity of patients’ illness (= 0.41, P < 0.001), attitude towards schizophrenia (= -0.38, P < 0.001),and perceived social support ( = -0.27, P < 0.01). Conclusion: Thefindings provided better understanding regarding burden and its predictorsamong Indonesian family caregivers of schizophrenia patients. Theseresults can be used for developing proper nursing intervention aiming atalleviating burden which will in turn help enhance the quality of life amongthese caregivers and their patients.Keywords: burden, schizophrenia, caregivers, Indonesia