Disability and Family Burden among Individuals with Schizophrenia and Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder

Abstract

Background: In recent years, the evaluation of disability in people with severe mental health disorders has grown in importance. Caregivers of individuals with chronic psychiatric diseases face a multitude of psychological challenges. The burden of care is the aggregate term for these challenges. The assessment of burden has become particularly important with the emergence of deinstitutionalization and the treating individuals in the community. Objective: The objective was to study the level of disability and family burden among family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Materials and Methods: A total of 120 patients (60 with schizophrenia and 60 with OCD) diagnosed as per the International Classification of Diseases-10 were selected purposively from a mental health institute in North India. The Indian Disability Evaluation and Assessment Scale was used for measuring disability, and the Family Burden Scale was administered to know the level of family burden. Results: Twenty-six percent of individuals with schizophrenia had a profound level of disability, and about 45% of individuals had a severe level of disability from both the groups; more than half (53%) of the OCD individuals reported moderate-level disability. The family burden was found high (53%) to moderate (46%) in both the groups. Conclusion: Although individuals with schizophrenia had more severe disability and family burden, individuals with OCD were not too far behind. A holistic management plan should address these parameters in addition to symptomatic recovery. Thus, the management planning should consider yielding better outcomes in both conditions.