DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2019.v07i03.011

Pages: 906-916

Background: Earlier studies indicate that family burden is higher in patients with chronic psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia when compared to episodic and relapsing nature of the bipolar disorder. Aims: To compare the family burden in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Methods: The present study was undertaken at department of psychiatry, sri venkateswara ramnarayana ruya hospital, tirupathi. Toal 80 patients diagnosed to be suffering from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, 40 each from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and their caregivers were enrolled in the study after obtaining verbal and written informed consent. The key relative or primary caregiver was administered with BAS and the burden scores were counted. Burden scores between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder were compared using the BAS score .The disability of the patients was assessed by WHO-DAS2 score. Results: There were no significant differences in the burden scores of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. There was positive correlation between the burden scores obtained by BAS and the disability of patients assessed by WHO-DAS2 in both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Conclusion: Burden scores obtained in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder indicated that family burden in patients with schizophrenia is similar to bipolar disorder.