Caregivers’ Burden of Patients with Severe Mental Illnesses: A Cross-sectional Study
Caregivers’ Burden in Severe Mental Illnesses
Abstract
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.
Keywords :
Caregiver burden; mental health; severe mental disorder,
Abstrak
Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengenalpasti prevalens dan faktor yang menyebabkan beban dalam kalangan penjaga pesakit mental yang serius di Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Kajian keratan rentas ini telah dijalankan dalam kalangan 149 penjaga pesakit mental yang serius di Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ciri-ciri penjaga, ciri-ciri pesakit dan beban penjaga telah direkod menggunakan soal selidik yang diisi oleh penyelidik. Perkaitan antara pelbagai faktor penyebab dan beban penjaga telah dianalisis menggunakan ujian khi kuasa dua dan regresi logistik berganda. Didapati 34.6% daripada penjaga mengalami beban semasa menjaga pesakit mental yang serius. Juga didapati bahawa jantina lelaki, tahap pendidikan yang rendah, pasangan kepada pesakit, menjaga pesakit skizofrenia, masalah kemurungan, masalah kebimbangan dan tekanan mempunyai hubungan yang signifikan dengan beban penjaga. Ujian logistik berganda menunjukkan bahawa penjaga lelaki, menjaga pesakit skizofrenia dan masalah kemurungan meningkatkan ods beban penjaga masing-masing 4.21 (1.37-12.88), 3.09 (0.98-9.59) dan 29.18 (7.33-116.09). Walau bagaimanapun, pasangan kepada pesakit mengurangkan ods beban penjaga sebanyak 84%. Sebahagian besar penjaga pesakit mental yang serius mengalami beban penjaga. Penjaga lelaki, mereka yang menjaga pesakit skizofrenia dan masalah kemurungan lebih mudah mengalami beban penjaga. Walau bagaimanapun, pasangan kepada pesakit mengurangkan beban penjaga.
Kata Kunci :
Beban penjaga; kesihatan mental; penyakit mental serius,
Correspondance Address
Sheng Qian Yew. Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: +603-9145 8792 Email: shengqian@ukm.edu.my
