The Quality of Life in Caregivers of Acute and Chronic Patients with Schizophrenia مقاله

The aim of present research was to compare the quality of life in caregivers of acute and chronic schizophrenic patients.Method: Considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 30 participants were selected through purposive sampling method among the caregivers of acute and chronic schizophrenic patients. The sample answered to WHO Quality Of Life (WHOQOL-100) and demographic questionnaires.Results: The overall quality of life variables, physical health status, psychological status, independence, social status, environment status, religiousbeliefs and personal beliefs were significantly different in two groups (p=0.01). Conclusion: Considering the higher scores of religious beliefs in caregivers of chronic (in contrast to acute) schizophrenic patients and lack of difference in quality of life index, it seems that caregivers of acute schizophrenic patientsmay also benefit from religious beliefs.

<H1>The Quality of Life in Caregivers of Acute and Chronic Patients with Schizophrenia</H1> Mahdieh Ahmadi1* (MSc), Hamid Reza Khankeh2 (PhD), Mehdi Rahgozar3 (PhD), Robab Teymouri4 (PhD), Mehdi Sheikhona5 (MSc) 1*Social Welfare, Center of Substance Abuse and Dependence, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran, Corresponding author: m_ahmadi_405@yahoo. com 2Nursing, Disaster Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran 3Statistics, Bio Statistic Department, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran 4Linguist, Pediatric Neurorehabilitation Research Center, University of Social Welfare & Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran 5Psychiatric Nursing, Faculty Member of Islamic Azad University, School of Medicine, Qom Branch, Qom, Iran A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T Objective: The aim of present research was to compare the quality of life in caregivers of acute and chronic schizophrenic patients. The influential functioning of the families could be affected by a variety of social and psychological factors including the burden of caring patient, behavioral problems of the schizophrenic patient and deficits in social support (Saunders, 2003; Alejandra, Jos, & Claudia, 2009). <H2>Method</H2> This research was a pilot analytic study with the aim of "comparing the quality of life indexes in the families of acute and chronic schizophrenia patients in Razi Psychiatric Center in year 2008. The results of the present study indicated that the mean score of overall quality and its 6 scores including physical health, psychological conditions, independence condition, social status, environmental conditions in the two groups of caregivers of acute and chronic schizophrenic patients were equal except for personal beliefs.