Journal List > Korean J Schizophr Res > v.20(2) > 1057834

Kim and Kim: Factors Influencing Burden on the Primary Caregivers of Remitted Schizophrenic Outpatients

Abstract

Objectives

The purpose of this study is to investigate the variables besides symptom that influence the family burden in the primary caregivers of remitted schizophrenic outpatients, and to evaluate the impact of changeable or unchangeable variables by clinical practice on the family burden.

Methods

A total 105 remitted schizophrenic outpatients and 105 their primary caregivers were participated in the psychiatric outpatient clinic of the university hospital. Socio-demographic characteristics (age, sex, education, income, marital status, religion), clinical variables (duration of illness, age of onset), patients' symptom (korean version of the positive and negative syndrome scale), patients' social function (korean version of the social functioning scale), patients' insight (self-appraisal of illness questionnaire), patients' attitude toward medication (drug attitude inventory), family perceived social support (multidimensional scale of perceived social support), family attitude toward patient (family attitude scale) were gathered from subjects.

Results

Total score of family burden scale (0–144) of the primary caregivers of remitted schizophrenic outpatients was 71.3 (SD 20.7) and mean score per item was 1.9. Unchangeable six variables by clinical practice (relation with patient, patients' education, age of onset, duration of illness, parent age, parent income) explain 17%, and changeable four variables (family attitude toward patient, family perceived social support, patients' social function, patients' insight) explain 72% of family burden. Four areas such as interpersonal communication, independence-performance, independence-competence, occupation/ employment explain family burden significantly in the seven areas of the social functioning scale.

Conclusion

Primary caregivers of remitted schizophrenic outpatients feel burden considerably even though their ill relatives show few psychiatric symptoms. Changeable variables by clinical practice were more explanation than unchangeable variables on the family burden.

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Socio-demographic characteristics of the schizophrenic outpatients and their primary caregivers

kjsr-20-44-i001
Table 2

Clinical characteristics of the schizophrenic outpatients and their primary caregivers

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Table 3

Variance inflation factor checking multicollinearity

kjsr-20-44-i003

PSS: Perceived social support, SFS: Social functioning scale, SAIQ: Self-appraisal of illness questionnaire, DAI: Drug attitude inventory, FAS: Family attitude scale

Table 4

Variable selection by backward elimination

kjsr-20-44-i004

FAS: Family attitude scale, PSS: Perceived social support, SFS: Social functioning scale, SAIQ: Self-appraisal of illness questionnaire

Table 5

Hierarchic regression of total family burden

kjsr-20-44-i005

*: p<0.05, : p<0.01, : p<0.001. FAS: Family attitude scale, PSS: Perceived social support, SFS: Social functioning scale, SAIQ: Self-appraisal of illness questionnaire

Table 6

Variable selection including subscale variables of social functioning scale by backward elimination

kjsr-20-44-i006

FAS: Family attitude scale, SFS: Social functioning scale, PSS: Perceived social support, SAIQ: Self-appraisal of illness questionnaire, Inter: Interpersonal communication, IP: Independence-performance, IC: Independence-competence, E: Employment/occupation

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