Caregiver’s quality of life and its positive impact on symptomatology and quality of life of patients with schizophrenia

BACKGROUND Although the quality of life (QoL) experienced by patients with schizophrenia has been recognized, few studies have assessed the relationship between the caregivers' QoL and patients' QoL. METHODS The study included 253 stabilized outpatients with schizophrenia and their caregivers from 3 Mental Health Services in Bolivia (N = 83), Chile (N = 85) and Peru (N = 85). Caregivers' and patients' QoL were respectively assessed using two specific QoL questionnaires (S-CGQoL and S-QoL 18). We collected socio-demographic information and clinical data. Multiple linear regressions were performed to determine which variables were associated with patient's QoL. We tested the following hypothesis using structural equation modeling (SEM): caregivers' QoL may have an indirect effect on patients' QoL mediated by their influence of the severity of psychotic symptoms. RESULTS In the multivariate analysis, the caregivers' QoL was not significantly associated with the patients' QoL, except for one QoL dimension about relationship with family (Beta = 0.23). Among patients' characteristics, being a woman and Aymara, having lower educational level, unemployment and severity of symptoms was significantly associated to a lower QoL. The SEM revealed a moderate significant association between caregivers' QoL and psychotic symptoms severity (path coefficient = -0.32) and a significant association between psychotic symptoms severity and patients QoL (path coefficient = -0.40). The indirect effect of caregivers' QoL on patients' QoL was significant (mediated effect coefficient = 0.13). CONCLUSION Improvement of caregiver's QoL may have a direct impact on the psychotic symptoms of patients and indirectly on patient's QoL, confirming the need for ongoing family interventions in these regions.