Burden in families of psychiatric patients: influence of caregivers' gender

Studies have evaluated the burden presented by family caregivers of psychiatric patients, but few of them have investigated the influence of gender in the degree and dimensions of burden, with divergent results. This research aimed to compare the degree of subjective and objective burden felt by men and women family caregivers and the dimensions of their lives most affected in each group. Participated in this study 50 men and 50 women caregivers of psychiatric patients. Subjects were interviewed with the application of the Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBIS-BR) and a standardized sociodemographic data questionnaire. The results showed that the degree of objective burden was higher in the group of women caregivers, especially regarding the daily care provided to the patients, the impact on their social and professional life and some items of the supervision of problematic behaviors. Men, in turn, reported feeling greater financial burden than women caregivers. The subjective burden was similar for both groups. The differences found in this study point to the need for mental health services to plan specific interventions for each group of caregivers.

mentally ill persons; family caregivers; mental health services