Psychiatric morbidity and its correlates among primary family caregivers of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia in Taiwan

Background: Caregiving for patients with schizophrenia is often challenging and may increase the risk of psychiatric morbidity among primary family caregivers. However, the associated factors of psychiatric morbidity among caregivers have not been fully investigated. Aims: This study aimed to screen psychiatric morbidity and its correlates among primary family caregivers of persons with schizophrenia receiving inpatient psychiatric rehabilitation services. Methods: A cross-sectional, correlational design was used. A total of 184 Taiwanese primary family caregivers in inpatient psychiatric rehabilitation units participated in the study. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, independent t-tests, and a stepwise binary logistic regression analysis were performed to examine the association among primary family caregivers’ psychiatric morbidity and primary family caregivers’ sociodemographic characteristics and mutuality and patients’ sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Results: The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among primary family caregivers was 48.4%. Unemployment, lower mutuality, additional dependents in need of care, and caring for patients with more psychiatric hospitalizations were the most significant factors for psychiatric morbidity among primary family caregivers. Conclusion: Mental healthcare professionals should recognize patients and their primary family caregivers as a unit of care. Primary family caregivers must receive increased assistance, including supportive resources and therapeutic interventions, to reduce psychiatric morbidity.