Caregiver Stigma and Quality of Life in Patients With Schizophrenia: An Exploratory Study

Background: Schizophrenia is a chronic disease that impacts different aspects of patients’ and their caregiver’s lives. So, there’s a need to assess how different aspects of illness such as stigma can affect the quality of life of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Aim: To find out the impact of stigma faced by caregivers on the quality of life of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study design and purposive sampling technique were used. A total of 160 patients and their caregivers who were diagnosed with schizophrenia taking regular treatment and were stable from a minimum last six months attending the outpatient department of the Department of Psychiatry, PGIMS, Rohtak. The level of stigma faced by caregivers and the quality of life of patients was assessed using the Jaipur stigma questionnaire and WHO-QoL BREF scale respectively. Results: The findings of this study showed that the domains of stigma such as false belief, coercive treatment, shame, and marriage have a significant relationship with the quality of life of patients with schizophrenia. Conclusion: Despite the continuous awareness, there’s still a gap that persists in the field of mass awareness regarding mental illness. This can be done with the help of various policymakers and stakeholders.