title: Family burden in schizophrenia: the influence of age of onset and negative symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the determinants of family burden in a sample of patients with schizophrenia and their caregivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one stable patients with schizophrenia and their main caregivers were recruited. Sociodemographic variables were assessed in a semi-structured interview, and positive and negative symptoms were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Cognitive performance was assessed with the Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale (SCoRS). Levels of burden on caregivers were assessed with the Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBIS). Interactions among variables were analyzed using Pearson correlations and linear regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Objective and subjective FBIS scores were 1.9 (standard deviation [SD] = 0.5) and 2.4 (SD = 0.6) respectively. Objective burden correlated positively with positive and negative symptoms, and cognitive impairment. Subjective burden correlated positively with positive symptoms and negatively with mean age of disease onset. Positive, negative and cognitive symptoms accounted for 47.6% of the variance of objective burden, with negative symptoms accounting independently for 30.3%. Age of onset, parents as caregivers and positive symptoms accounted for 28% of the variance of subjective burden, with age of onset independently explaining 20.3%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients' clinical and sociodemographic variables are important determinants of family burden in schizophrenia. Objective burden is predicted by symptoms, particularly negative ones. Subjective burden is predicted by symptoms and sociodemographic variables, particularly age of disease onset.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Raul Soares, Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais (FHEMIG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucas M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Mantovani
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferretjans
authors.affiliation: Instituto Raul Soares, Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais (FHEMIG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Iara M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Marçal
authors.affiliation: Instituto Raul Soares, Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais (FHEMIG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Instituto Raul Soares, Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais (FHEMIG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.affiliation: Instituto Raul Soares, Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais (FHEMIG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.|Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: João Vinícius
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Salgado
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors