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Family burden of schizophrenia and depressive illness

Specifying the effects of ethnicity, gender and social ecology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Janis H. Jenkins  and
John G. Schumacher
Janis H. Jenkins*
Affiliation:
Departments of Anthropology and Psychiatry
John G. Schumacher
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106-7124, USA
*
Dr Janis Hunter Jenkins, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7125, USA
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Abstract

Background

The burdens experienced by relatives of mentally ill persons are substantial.

Aims

To study the relationship between family burden and sociocultural context.

Method

A comparative study of Euro-Americans and Latinos ascertained whether dimensions of family response are (a) non-specific to diagnostic groups; and/or (b) variable across cultural settings.

Results

Regardless of diagnosis or ethnicity, patient misery was found most burdensome and distressing. However, considerable difference in shades of meaning and nuance across groups appears in relation to what is classed similarly as ‘misery’. Only gender was significantly associated with social performance (males reported to have greater deficits). A complex cultural – ecological effect was observed among the Latino–schizophrenia group.

Conclusions

Findings suggest similarities and differences in levels of family burden in relation to socio-cultural factors across cultural and diagnostic groups. The specificity of results by objective and subjective measures, types of burden, gender, ethnicity, diagnosis, and living situation confirm the importance of context and heterogeneity in understanding family burden and distress.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 174 , Issue 1 , January 1999 , pp. 31 - 38
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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Footnotes

Declaration of interest

Funding received by J. H. J. from the National Institute of Mental Health.

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