Burden on caregivers in bipolar affective disorder and alcohol dependence syndrome –is it same or different?”

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Bipolar affective disorder and Alcohol dependence are two common psychiatric disorders. There are few studies on burden in caregivers of BPAD patients which have recorded significant burden. Burden on caregivers in Alcohol dependence patients has not received attention in research so far.AIM: To measure and compare the burden on caregivers of patients having BPAD and ADS.METHODS:Consecutive patients aged between 18-60 yrs, having BPAD -30 patients and ADS- 33 patients were taken. After eliciting the sociodemographic data, burden was assessed using Burden Assessment Schedule (BAS) and severity of Alcohol dependence was measured by Short Alcohol Dependence Data (SADD) Questionnaire. RESULTS: Caregivers of BPAD and ADS experienced significant burden and there was no significant difference between BPAD and ADS group. In BPAD patients burden experienced during the episode was significantly more during the episode than one month before the episode. Burden was more in severe alcohol dependent patients than in mild and moderate dependent patients.CONCLUSIONS :There was no difference in the burden experienced by the caregivers in BPAD and ADS. Burden is not limited to only severe mental disorders like psychosis, but is also seen in mental disorders like Alcohol Dependence Syndrome.