Background. Caring for patients with schizophrenia places
an enormous burden on the caregivers. The magnitude of this
problem remains largely unknown in sub-Saharan Africa.
Objective. The objective of this study was to determine the
nature of the burden reported by caregiving relatives of
patients with schizophrenia.
Materials and method. A total of 129 primary caregivers of
patients with schizophrenia attending the outpatient clinic of
Katsina State Psychiatric Hospital were interviewed, using
a socio-demographic data collection sheet and the Zarith
Burden Interview (ZBI).
Results. The mean age of the respondents was 45.1±8.9
years. Most of the caregivers were female. A high level of
burden was found in 47.3% of respondents. The level of
burden experienced was significantly associated with place of
residence and family size.
Conclusion. Schizophrenia is associated with a high level
of caregiver burden. Efforts should be made to alleviate this
burden for better outcomes in both patients and caregivers.