title: Subjective quality of life of family caregivers of community living Sudanese psychiatric patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reports on the quality of life (QOL) of family caregivers of psychiatric patients are uncommon.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to assess the subjective QOL of caregivers of stable Sudanese outpatients using the World Health Organization 26-item Quality of Life Instrument compared with a general population sample, and assess the factors associated with caregivers' QOL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Responses of caregivers of outpatients with schizophrenia (99), major affective disorders (120), and neuroses (81) were compared with 211 general population subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caregivers were satisfied with the items related to the strengths of the traditional society and dissatisfied with the items related to national economic indices. Schizophrenia caregivers had lower scores than the others (P > 0.05) who scored significantly higher than general population subjects and patients. Parents had the least scores. Patients' variables were not significantly associated with caregivers' QOL. Caregivers' sociodemographic variables were significantly associated with QOL. Caregivers' QOL was predicted by their impression of patients and state of health. Schizophrenics had the least correlations with caregivers' QOL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Caregivers who are women, parents, and sick seemed relatively vulnerable and need assistance. Their areas of dissatisfaction with material circumstances should be addressed in a social welfare program. Caregivers' inner strengths, extended family supports, and positive appreciation of the patients are resources for enhancing their caregiving role.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Abdel W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Awadalla
authors.forename: Jude U
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Ohaeri
authors.forename: Aziza A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Salih
authors.forename: Adel M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tawfiq
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires