Social Support of Male and Female Care Givers of Individuals Suffering From Schizophrenia

Background: Schizophrenia is a severe disorder that typically begins in late adolescence or early adulthood and characterized by profound disruption in thinking and perception, affecting language, thought, perception and sense of self. The consequences of the illness for the individual affected, his or her family, and society in general are devastating. Caring of individual with schizophrenia is a big challenge for caregivers. During care giving of individual with schizophrenia caregiver has started to avoid his health care, family responsibility, job as well as social interaction with friends, neighbours and relatives. Individual’s illness creates many problems for caregivers in community. Social support largely depends on the family’s reaction to illness, if they are rejecting, intolerant of dependence, or unsympathetic to the needs of the patients, then they may offer too little support. Aim: The aim of the study is to assess and compare the social support of male and female care givers of patients suffering from schizophrenia. Methods: The present study was a hospital based cross sectional comparative study among the male and female caregivers of Schizophrenia. Purposive sampling technique was used and sample size consists of a total of 60 caregivers of patients with Schizophrenia 30 male caregivers of patients with Schizophrenia and 30 female caregivers of patients with schizophrenia. Results & Conclusion: There was no significant found between the two groups. Hence we can conclude that social support is almost equal in male and female caregiver. Care givers of patients suffering from schizophrenia face the similar circumstances.