When compared to Korea, the relationship between stigma perception and care burden
among Japanese families is slightly more complicated. For example, Japanese families,
compared to Korean families, tend to be “embarrassed” by the behaviors of schizophrenia
patients, and they report “not feeling comfortable around a relative with schizophrenia”. In
addition, Japanese families are more likely to resist allowing people other than family
members to care for schizophrenia patients. They are more likely to think that schizophrenia
patients “feel uncomfortable with others entering his/her house” and “feel uncomfortable
with being cared for by someone outside the family”. Japanese families appear to be
sensitive to schizophrenia patients’ tendencies of “rejecting interactions with others and not
wanting to be cared for by others besides family members at home, which is their safe
space”. Japanese families are also resistant to allowing others to take care of schizophrenia
patients. Hence, a close family tie between schizophrenia patients and their families is
suggested. The ratio of families who have access to people outside the family who could
provide care in Japan was greater than half overall. However, even if Japanese families
could find someone to provide care, they are more likely to care for schizophrenia patients
on their own because they prefer not to have nonfamily members providing care.
In contrast to Korean families, Japanese families tend to believe that other people think
chronic schizophrenia patients are “unpredictable and dangerous” and that “it is best to
avoid them”. Japanese families feel that “if they had a problem with schizophrenia, they
would not tell anyone” and that “if a person had a problem with schizophrenia, he or she
would not tell anyone”, thus suggesting that their attitude is “it is best to hide schizophrenia
in family members from others”.
To summarize our third caregiver burden and family stigma study, Japanese families of
patients with schizophrenia, compared to Korean families, are likely to perceive a stronger
stigma from others and are more likely to think that schizophrenia should be hidden from
others. Because they are “worried about what relatives and neighbors might think”, they are
more likely to take care of schizophrenia patients on their own.