Sociodemographic Profile Of Caregivers Of Schizophrenic Patients-Study From North India.

Rameshwar S Manhas; Rukhsana Akhter; Angli Manhas; Gaurav S Manhas; Jagdish R Thappa

Volume : VIII, Issue : VI, June - 2019

Sociodemographic Profile Of Caregivers Of Schizophrenic Patients-Study From North India.

Rameshwar S Manhas, Rukhsana Akhter, Angli Manhas, Gaurav S Manhas, Jagdish R Thappa

Abstract :

Background: Schizophrenia is a debilitating & serious psychiatric disorder which not only affects the life of patients but also affects the life of their family members and caregivers. Aims: To find the sociodemographic profile of the caregivers of schizophrenic patients. Materials & Methods: The present observational study involved 150 caregivers of patients suffering from schizophrenia. Various parameters like age, sex, residence, education, occupation, religion, type of family and relation with patient etc were studied. Results: The mean age of caregivers in present study was 46.02 (�14.21) years with majority i.e. 46.7% were in the age group of ≥46 years. Females outnumbered males as caregivers of schizophrenia patient. Total of 63.3% caregivers were from rural background, 82.6% were married, 51.3% were from joint families, 56.7% were unemployed & 45.4% were illiterate. Maximum number of caregivers i.e. 44% were parents. Conclusion: From present study, it has been concluded that majority of the cargivers of the schizophrenia patients were females, illiterate, unemployed, living in joint families and were parents. So it is suggest that researchers and mental health professionals should attend to the special needs of these group of caregivers for better outcome of disease.