Quality of life among family caregivers of people with schizophrenia in rural China.

PURPOSES: To investigate quality of life (QoL) of family caregivers of people with schizophrenia and examine the influencing factors of the QoL in a Chinese rural area. METHODS: This study included people with schizophrenia (n = 269) and their family caregivers (n = 269) from Xinjin district, Chengdu, China. Family caregivers' QoL was measured by the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Form and its influencing factors was analyzed by the multivariate regression. RESULTS: Family caregivers of people with schizophrenia had very poor QoL across four domains. The regression analysis showed that physical domain of QoL was significantly associated with age, psychiatric symptoms of people with schizophrenia, and caregiving burden of family caregivers (p < 0.05). Psychological domain of QoL was significantly related to family caregivers' affiliate stigma, caregiving burden, and psychiatric symptoms of people with schizophrenia (p < 0.05). Social domain of QoL was significantly associated with age and psychiatric symptoms of people with schizophrenia, and affiliate stigma of family caregivers (p < 0.05). Environmental domain of QoL was significantly related to age and psychiatric symptoms of people with schizophrenia, and family caregivers' caregiving burden (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Family caregivers of people with schizophrenia had poor QoL in rural China. Family caregivers' QoL is significantly impacted by age and psychiatric symptoms of people with schizophrenia, caregivers' affiliate stigma and caregiving burden. Providing social support and psychosocial interventions for family caregivers of people with schizophrenia might be crucial to improve their QoL and caregiving.

Depression risk among community-dwelling older people is associated with perceived COVID-19 infection risk: effects of news report latency and focusing on number of infected cases.

Awareness of COVID-19 infection risk and oscillation patterns ('waves') may affect older people's mental health. Empirical data from populations experiencing multiple waves of community outbreaks can inform guidance for maintaining mental health. This study aims to investigate the effects of COVID-19 infection risk and oscillations on depression among community-dwelling older people in Hong Kong.A rolling cross-sectional telephone survey method was used. Screening for depression risk was conducted among 8,163 older people (age ≥ 60) using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) from February to August 2020. The relationships between PHQ-2, COVID-19 infection risk proxies - change in newly infected cases and effective reproductive number (Rt), and oscillations - stage of a 'wave' reported in the media, were analysed using correlation and regression.8.4% of survey respondents screened positive for depression risk. Being female (ß = .08), having a pre-existing mental health issue (ß = .21), change in newly infected cases (ß = .05), and screening during the latency period before the media called out new waves (ß = .03), contributed to higher depression risk (R2 = .06, all p <.01).While depression risk does not appear alarming in this sample, our results highlight that older people are sensitive to reporting of infection, particularly among those with existing mental health needs. Future public health communication should balance awareness of infection risks with mental health protection.

Longitudinal impact of caregiver transition and family caregiving on psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial functioning among persons with schizophrenia in rural China.

This study examines the 21-year longitudinal impacts and predictive effects of family caregiver transition and the presence of family caregiving on the clinical status of persons with schizophrenia (PwSs) in a rural area of China. Using panel data derived from the Chengdu Mental Health Project (CMHP), 250 dyads of PwSs and their family caregivers were investigated in 1994 and 2015. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) were utilized. The generalized linear model (GLM) approach was used. The results of this study showed that more severe symptoms in PwSs were found to be significantly predicted by older age and nonmarried status at baseline. Compared with "spousal caregiving in two waves," the PANSS score was significantly higher in the "transition into sibling caregiving" group. A higher degree of psychosocial functioning was found to be significantly predicted by marital status, shorter duration of illness, and better mental status. Compared with "spousal caregiving in two waves," the GAF score was significantly lower in the "transition into parental caregiving" group. The presence of family caregiving was not a significant predictor of the severity of symptoms or psychosocial functioning in the PwSs. In conclusion, this study shows the 21-year predictive effects of family caregiver transition on the mental status of PwSs but not the presence of family caregiving. Psychosocial interventions and specific guidance should be provided to family caregivers to enhance their quality of caregiving and improve the prognosis of PwSs during long periods of home care.

En este estudio se analizan los efectos longitudinales a 21 años y los efectos pronósticos de la transición de los cuidadores familiares y la presencia de cuidado familiar en el estado clínico de las personas con esquizofrenia en un área rural de China. Utilizando datos de panel extraídos del Proyecto de salud mental de Chengdu (Chengdu Mental Health Project, CMHP), se investigaron 250 díadas de personas con esquizofrenia y sus cuidadores familiares en 1994 y 2015. Se utilizó la Escala de síndrome positivo y negativo (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, PANSS) y la Evaluación global del funcionamiento (Global Assessment of Functioning, GAF). También se utilizó el método de modelo lineal generalizado. Los resultados de este estudio demostraron que los síntomas más intensos en las personas con esquizofrenia fueron pronosticados principalmente por la edad avanzada y el estado de soltería en el momento basal. En comparación con el grupo de "cuidado de los cónyuges en dos intervalos", el puntaje de la PANSS fue considerablemente más alto en el grupo de "transición al cuidado de los hermanos". Se descubrió que principalmente el estado civil, la duración más corta de la enfermedad y un mejor estado mental pronosticaron un grado más alto de funcionamiento psicosocial. En comparación con el grupo de "cuidado de los cónyuges en dos intervalos", el puntaje de la GAF fue considerablemente más bajo en el grupo de "transición al cuidado de los padres". La presencia de cuidado familiar no fue un factor pronóstico importante de la intensidad de los síntomas ni del funcionamiento psicosocial en las personas con esquizofrenia. En resumen, en este estudio se muestran los efectos pronósticos a 21 años de la transición de los cuidadores familiares en el estado mental de las personas con esquizofrenia, pero no la presencia de cuidado familiar. Deben ofrecerse intervenciones psicosociales y orientación específica a los cuidadores familiares para mejorar su calidad de cuidado y mejorar el pronóstico de las personas con esquizofrenia durante los periodos prolongados de cuidado en el hogar.

Schizophrenia, social support, caregiving burden and household poverty in rural China.

PURPOSE: Household poverty associated with schizophrenia has been long described. However, the mechanisms by which schizophrenia may have influenced the economic status of a household in rural communities are still unclear. This study aimed to test an integrated model of schizophrenia, social support and caregiving burden on household poverty in a rural community in China. METHODS: A mental health survey using identical methods and ICD-10 was conducted in six townships of Xinjin County (population ≥ 15 years old, n = 152,776), Chengdu, China in 2015. Identified persons with schizophrenia (n = 661) and their caregivers completed a joint questionnaire of sociodemographic information, illness conditions, social support and caregiving burden. Descriptive analysis was applied first to give an overview of the dataset. Then, multivariable regression analyses were conducted to examine the associative factors of social support, caregiving burden and household income. Then, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to estimate the integrated model of schizophrenia, social support, caregiving burden and household income. RESULTS: Households with patient being female, married, able to work and having better social function were better off. Larger household size, higher social support and lower caregiving burden also had salient association with higher household income. The relationship between schizophrenia and household poverty appeared to be mediated by the impacts of schizophrenia on social support and caregiving burden. CONCLUSION: There was a strong association between schizophrenia and household poverty, in which social support and caregiving burden may had played significant roles on mediating it. More precise poverty alleviation policies and interventions should focus on supporting recovery for persons with schizophrenia, as well as on increasing social support and on reducing family caregiving burden.

Lifestyle factors, physical health, and life satisfaction under different changes in depressive symptoms among Chinese community-dwelling older adults: A longitudinal analysis.

BACKGROUND: The study aims to investigate the long-term impact of lifestyle-related factors and physical health on life satisfaction and depressive symptoms among Chinese community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), the analytic sample of this study included 1,068 older adults who had participated in the surveys in both 2011 and 2018. Multivariate regression was employed to analyze both cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between lifestyle-related factors, physical health, and subjective well-being - specifically depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. Additionally, the model tested how these factors correlate with life satisfaction across different groups of depressive symptom changes among older adults, categorized as not at risk of depression, intermittent depression, and chronic depression. RESULTS: Multimorbidity was significantly related to baseline and follow-up depressive risk in older adults. Shorter sleep duration was associated with baseline depression risk. Current alcohol drinkers reported significantly more severe depressive symptoms than non-drinkers. At baseline, current smokers were more likely to have a lower degree of life satisfaction than nonsmokers. Among older adults with chronic depression at the 7-year follow-up, former smokers tended to have lower life satisfaction than nonsmokers. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings identified drinking alcohol and having a shorter sleep duration as modifiable lifestyle-related risk factors for late-life depression and smoking as a detrimental factor for life satisfaction in older Chinese adults. Multimorbidity was a significant predictor of more depressive symptoms. Our findings have implications for future psychosocial interventions that target the alleviation of depressive symptoms and the promotion of life satisfaction in older Chinese people based on their different long-term mental and physical health conditions.

Differential Associations Between Depressive Symptom-Domains With Anxiety, Loneliness, and Cognition in a Sample of Community Older Chinese Adults: A Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes Approach.

Background and Objectives: Depressive symptoms are common in older adults, and often co-occur with other mental health problems. However, knowledge about depressive symptom-domains and their associations with other conditions is limited. This study examined depressive symptom-domains and associations with anxiety, cognition, and loneliness. Research Design and Methods: A sample of 3,795 participants aged 60 years and older were recruited from the community in Hong Kong. They were assessed for depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item), loneliness (UCLA 3-item), and cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment 5-Minute Protocol). Summary descriptive statistics were calculated, followed by confirmatory factor analysis of PHQ-9. Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes analysis was used to examine the associations between mental health conditions in the general sample and subgroups based on depressive symptom severity. Results: A 4-factor model based on the Research Domain Criteria showed the best model fit of PHQ-9 (χ2/df = 10.63, Root-Mean-Square Error of Approximation = 0.05, Comparative Fit Index = 0.96, Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.93). After adjusting for demographics, 4 depressive symptom-domains were differentially associated with anxiety, loneliness, and cognition across different depression severity groups. The Negative Valance Systems and Internalizing domain (NVS-I; guilt and self-harm) were consistently associated with anxiety (ß = 0.45, 0.44) and loneliness (ß = 0.11, 0.27) regardless of depression severity (at risk/mild vs moderate and more severe, respectively, all p < .001). Discussion and Implications: The consistent associations between the NVS-I domain of depression with anxiety and loneliness warrant attention. Simultaneous considerations of depressive symptom-domains and symptom severity are needed for designing more personalized care. Clinical Trials Registration Number: NCT03593889.

Family caregiving and chronic illness management in schizophrenia: positive and negative aspects of caregiving.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to explore the long-term caregiving experiences of family caregivers of people with schizophrenia (PwS) in terms of both positive and negative aspects. METHOD: Utilising a purposive sampling method, we conducted in-depth interviews with 20 family caregivers of persons who had suffered from schizophrenia for more than 20 years. We empirically investigated their retrospective experiences of caregiver-patient interactions during a long period of family caregiving. We audio-recorded and transcribed the interviews into text. We thematically coded and analysed the transcribed text using a four-phase method of theme development. FINDINGS: Schizophrenia might not only generate a caregiving burden, affect caregivers' psychological status, and accordingly influence their coping strategies, but also have short- or long-term patient-related consequences. DISCUSSION: Family caregivers should develop their stress management skills to cope with relevant life changes and increase their knowledge of the potential psychological consequences for care recipients resulting from negative caregiving strategies during home-based practice. Care recipients with schizophrenia in a relatively stable status should be empowered to take care of themselves. More effective family-based interventions for psychiatric nursing or individualised training for symptom management should be tailored to serve families' diverse needs.

Development and Poverty Dynamics in Severe Mental Illness: A Modified Capability Approach in the Chinese Context.

Albeit poverty reduction has been listed as an overarching objective in many countries' development plans, little is known about how development could shape poverty dynamics in disadvantaged groups. Guided by a modified capability framework, this study aimed to explore the long-term experiences of poverty dynamics in severe mental illness. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 20 caregivers who provided care for persons with severe mental illness in Chengdu, China. Their perceptions on development, the illness, and social security were addressed. Content analysis was employed to analyze data. Participants experienced an overall improvement of life quality due to changes on urban infrastructure and transformed lifestyle. However, they were more disadvantaged while facing ability-based opportunities. These families were hindered from transferring opportunities into incomes. Negative impacts of the illness were also reflected in multiple stigma and conversion difficulties. Additionally, the high threshold for payment made those inclusive social security policies not inclusive for them. Poverty associated with severe mental illness was unlikely to be alleviated automatically within the process of development. Social isolation and high caregiving burden had aggravated poverty for those disadvantaged families. Poverty alleviation should be closely linked to the improvement in social policies in China.

Disease-Related Risk Factors for Caregiver Burden among Family Caregivers of Persons with Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This study aimed to conduct a quantitative synthesis of the clinical correlates of caregiver burden in schizophrenia studies published in the last two decades. Derived from eight electronic databases, this meta-analytic review revisits 34 English articles published from 2000 to 2020 relevant to family caregiver burden in the schizophrenia field. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess study quality. The pooled effect sizes of the selected studies ranged from -0.390 to 0.751. The results indicated a significant association between a heavier burden and disease-related risk factors, including more severe symptoms, greater general psychopathology, greater severity of functional impairment, and longer duration of illness. The results show moderating effects of study characteristics (i.e., study quality, participants, and location) on the correlations between these disease-related risk factors and caregiver burden. This review highlights the roles of study characteristics in affecting the inconsistent results for the effects of disease-related risk factors on caregiver burden in families of patients with schizophrenia. Psychosocial interventions are essential for family caregivers of persons with schizophrenia. Future studies incorporating random samples from both high-income and low-to-middle-income countries will be crucial to understand the effects of cultural contexts on caregiver burden in families of persons with schizophrenia.

Predictors of family caregiving burden of persons with schizophrenia with and without transition of primary caregivers from 1994 to 2015 in rural China.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about how sociodemographic and clinical factors affect the caregiving burden of persons with schizophrenia (PwSs) with transition in primary caregivers. AIMS: This study aimed to examine the predictive effects of sociodemographic and clinical factors on the caregiving burden of PwSs with and without caregiver transition from 1994 to 2015 in rural China. METHOD: Using panel data, 206 dyads of PwSs and their primary caregivers were investigated in both 1994 and 2015. The generalised linear model approach was used to examine the predictive effects of sociodemographic factors, severity of symptoms and changes in social functioning on the caregiving burden with and without caregiver transition. RESULTS: The percentages of families with and without caregiver transition were 38.8% and 61.2%, respectively. Among families without caregiver transition, a heavier burden was significantly related to a larger family size and more severe symptoms in PwSs. Deteriorated functioning of 'social activities outside the household' and improved functioning of 'activity in the household' were protective factors against a heavy caregiving burden. Among families with caregiver transition, younger age, improved marital functioning, deteriorated self-care functioning, and better functioning of 'social interest or concern' were significant risk factors for caregiving burden. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of sociodemographic and clinical correlates on the caregiving burden were different among families with and without caregiver transition. It is crucial to explore the caregiver arrangement of PwSs and the risk factors for burden over time, which will facilitate culture-specific family interventions, community-based mental health services and recovery.

Knowledge, contact and stigma of mental illness: Comparing three stakeholder groups in Hong Kong.

BACKGROUND: It remains unknown what the impacts of multiple dimensions of contact (e.g. level, quantity and quality) are on the stigma of mental illness. AIMS: To explore the relationship between the multiple dimensions of contact and stigma of mental illness among family members (FM), mental health workers (MHW) and community residents (CR) in Hong Kong. METHODS: The stigma, contact and knowledge were measured in FM, MHW and CR in Hong Kong. Multiple regression analyses were used. RESULTS: MHW (n = 141) had higher knowledge, more contact and lower stigma of mental illness than CR (n = 95) or FM (n = 62). Knowledge and contact quality were significantly associated with lower stigma of mental illness in the three groups. However, contact level and contact quantity were not significantly associated with most stigma components. The contact level was positively associated with stigma of mental illness among FM and CR. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study highlight the differences in knowledge, contact and stigma of mental illness among different stakeholder groups. This study suggests that positive contact (e.g. equal, supportive, voluntary and pleasant contact) reduces stigma of mental illness, while negative contact (e.g. unfriendly, unsupportive, unpleasant contact) may increase stigma. The Enhancing Contact Model (ECM) should be tested in future anti-stigma interventions.

Change of poverty and outcome of persons with severe mental illness in rural China, 1994-2015.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether and how poverty influences the long-term outcome of persons with severe mental illness (SMI). AIMS: To explore the change of poverty status in persons with SMI from 1994 to 2015 and examine the impact of poverty status on patients' outcome in rural China. METHOD: Two mental health surveys using identical methods and International Classification of Disease (ICD-10) were conducted in 1994 and 2015 in the same six townships of Xinjin County, Chengdu, China. RESULTS: The annual net income per person was 19.8% and 100.2% higher for the general population than for persons with SMI in 1994 and 2015 respectively. Compared with 1994 (48.2%), persons with SMI in 2015 had significantly higher rates of poor family economic status (

Changes in treatment status of patients with severe mental illness in rural China, 1994-2015.

BACKGROUND: Although it is crucial to improve the treatment status of people with severe mental illness (SMI), it is still unknown whether and how socioeconomic development influences their treatment status.AimsTo explore the change in treatment status in people with SMI from 1994 to 2015 in rural China and to examine the factors influencing treatment status in those with SMI. METHOD: Two mental health surveys using identical methods and ICD-10 were conducted in 1994 and 2015 (population ≥15 years old, n = 152 776) in the same six townships of Xinjin County, Chengdu, China. RESULTS: Compared with 1994, individuals with SMI in 2015 had significantly higher rates of poor family economic status, fewer family caregivers, longer duration of illness, later age at first onset and poor mental status. Participants in 2015 had significantly higher rates of never being treated, taking antipsychotic drugs and ever being admitted to hospital, and lower rates of using traditional Chinese medicine or being treated by traditional/spiritual healers. The factors strongly associated with never being treated included worse mental status (symptoms/social functioning), older age, having no family caregivers and poor family economic status. CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomic development influences the treatment status of people with SMI in contemporary rural China. Relative poverty, having no family caregivers and older age are important factors associated with a worse treatment status. Culture-specific, community-based interventions and targeted poverty-alleviation programmes should be developed to improve the early identification, treatment and recovery of individuals with SMI in rural China.Declaration of interestNone.

Disease-related stressors of caregiving burden among different types of family caregivers of persons with schizophrenia in rural China.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the impacts of schizophrenia on different types of caregiving burden. AIM: This study aims to examine how the severity of schizophrenia, social functioning and aggressive behavior are associated with caregiving burden across different kinship types. METHOD: The analytic sample included 300 dyads of persons with schizophrenia and their family caregivers in Xinjin, Chengdu, China. The 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) was utilized to identify the patients, whose symptom severity, social functioning and aggressive behavior were measured. Caregiving burden was estimated using the Burden Scale for Family Caregivers-short (BSFC-s). RESULTS: A higher level of burden was significantly associated with female caregivers, larger family size, lower income, worse symptoms, poorer functional status and more aggressive behaviors. Parent caregivers showed greater burden if the patients had better functioning of social interest and concern or more aggression toward property. Mother caregivers showed greater burden than fathers. Spouses tended to perceive greater burden if the patients had better marital functioning, poorer occupational functioning or more aggressive behaviors toward property. Patients attacking others or a father with schizophrenia was related to a higher burden of child caregivers. A heavier burden of other relatives was correlated with patients' more verbal aggression and self-harm. CONCLUSION: This study shows the distinct impacts of disease-related factors on the caregiving burden across different kinship types. Our findings have implications for health-care professionals and practitioners in terms of developing more targeted family-based or individualized intervention to ameliorate burden according to kinship types and deal with behavioral and functional problems in schizophrenia.

Perception of social support and psychotic symptoms among persons with schizophrenia: A strategy to lessen caregiver burden.

BACKGROUND: Improving patients' perception of social support is significant not only for their re-adaptation to life but also for alleviating caregivers' burden. AIM: This study aims to examine an integrated model regarding social support, psychotic symptoms and caregiver burden. METHODS: Persons with schizophrenia (N1 = 300) and their family caregivers (N2 = 300) in Xinjin County, Chengdu, China, completed the survey to report their demographics, patients' perception of social support (Duke Social Support Index), psychotic symptoms (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) and caregiver burden (Burden Scale for Family Caregivers, Short Version). Structural equation modelling was utilised to test the proposed model. RESULTS: The degree of caregiver burden differed significantly within subgroups of patients' gender and education, as well as caregivers' gender, education and employment. Caregiver burden was negatively related to patients' age and household income. Social interaction partially mediated the relationship between instrumental and subjective social support (total effect = 0.451, p < .01). Subjective social support fully mediated the impact of social interaction on psychotic symptoms (total effect = -0.099, p < .05). In the final model, instrumental social support was positively associated with social interaction (p < .001) and increased subjective social support (p < .05). Increased subjective social support showed correlation with a lower degree of psychotic symptoms (p < .01), which was related to a lower level of caregiver burden (p < .001). CONCLUSION: This study shows the associations of patients' social support with psychotic symptoms and caregiver burden. Culture-specific psychosocial interventions should be provided for both patients and caregivers to enrich external support and reduce psychotic symptoms and caregivers' burden within the health care environment.

Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and outcome of people with schizophrenia in rural China: 14-year follow-up study.

This study aims to examine the relationship between the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and 14-year outcomes of schizophrenia in a Chinese rural area. Participants with schizophrenia (n = 510) were identified in an epidemiological investigation of 123 572 people aged 15 years and older in 1994 and followed up in 2008 in Xinjin, Chengdu, China. Longer DUP (>6 months) was common in participants (27.3%). In 1994, participants with DUP ≤ 6 months were more likely to have a significantly lower rate of suicide attempts, shorter duration of illness and higher rate of full remission compared with those with DUP > 6 months. No significant differences were found regarding the rates of survival, suicide, death due to other causes and homelessness between individuals with shorter and longer DUP in 2008. Nevertheless, longer DUP (>6 months) of participants in 2008 was significantly associated with higher mean of PANSS total negative and general mental scores, longer duration of illness and higher rate of live alone in the logistic regression model. Earlier identification, treatment and rehabilitation, and family intervention should be addressed when developing mental health policies and delivering community mental health services.