Caregivers’ Burden of Patients with Severe Mental Illnesses: A Cross-sectional Study

This study was aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of burden among caregivers of patients with severe mental illnesses in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 149 caregivers of patients with severe mental illnesses in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Caregivers’ characteristics, patients’ characteristics and caregivers’ burden were captured using investigator-administered questionnaires. The association between various predictors and caregivers’ burden was analysed using Chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression. A total of 34.6% of caregivers experienced caregiver’s burden. Being a man, low education level, being a spouse to the patient, caring for schizophrenic patients, depression, anxiety and stress were significantly associated with caregivers’ burden. A multiple logistic regression showed that being a man caregiver, caring for schizophrenic patient, and caregivers suffering from depression increased the odds of caregivers’ burden by 4.21 (1.37-12.88), 3.09 (0.98-9.59) and 29.18 (7.33-116.09), respectively. However, being a spouse to the patient reduced the odds of caregivers’ burden by 84%. A substantial number of the caregivers of patients with severe mental illnesses experienced caregivers’ burden. Men caregivers, those providing care to schizophrenic patients, and caregivers suffering depression were more susceptible to caregivers’ burden. However, being a spouse of the patients experienced a reduced level of caregivers’ burden.