Burden, stress, and quality of life among elderly caregivers of persons with neuropsychiatric disorder: A cross-sectional study.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to understand the psychosocial issues of the elderly caregivers of patients suffering from neuropsychiatric disorders. It was a cross-sectional descriptive research study on caregivers of patients with neuropsychiatric disorders. Forty respondents were selected using purposive sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria among those who attended the neurology outpatient and in-patient department of a tertiary care centre in India between November 2020 and February 2021. The Zarit Burden Interview, the Perceived Stress Scale and the WHO Quality of Life BREF Scale were used as tools for measurement. The mean age of caregivers was 64.3 years. Fifty-two percent were male, and 48% were female caregivers. A majority (67.5%) of the respondents perceived moderate stress, and 35% of the respondents had mild to moderate burden. The mean values of the quality of life domains and the overall quality of life were significantly correlated. There was a difference in the mean values of perceived stress and caregiver burden of the respondents. There was a significant association between domicile and caregiver burden, and also, the study established a significant association between occupation and psychological quality of life. There is a dearth of literature in terms of psychosocial issues of elderly caregivers. This research attempted to understand the psychosocial issues of elderly caregivers of neuropsychiatric disorders in the Indian context as a baseline to develop a psychosocial intervention for elderly caregivers who are taking care of their ill family members.