Economic well-being and its association with family caregiving experiences of households affected by schizophrenia in China

This study aimed to assess the household income, consumption, catastrophic health expenditure, and financial distress of people living with schizophrenia (PLS) households and examine the association between economic well-being and family caregiving experiences. A multi-site, cross-sectional survey was conducted in four cities across China with measures of household economic status and caregiving experiences. Linear regression analyses were used to determine the association between economic well-being and family caregiving experiences. A total of 493 PLS households were included in the analysis. In China, PLS Household income has been extremely low, as well as household consumption. Half of the PLS households has per capita incomes below half the national average in China. Overall, 23.3% of PLS household report catastrophic health expenditure and 58.6% of households perceived the financial situation is poor/very poor. In facing with financial difficulty, 38.7% of PLS household adopt at least one of cost-minimization and cost-management coping strategies. Household income was positively associated with caregiver rewarding feeling and negatively associated with caregiving burden. Household with catastrophic health expenditure, using financial coping strategies and subjective poor financial situation reported higher level of caregiving burden and affiliate stigma. The support for PLS families need to break through the traditional "medical-centered" intervention model, with economic empowerment as the core, integrating financial security, employment support, psychological services, and social welfare networks, and building a three-level system of "prevention alleviation development". This can not only improve patient prognosis but also break the vicious cycle of "mental illness poverty" and help families achieve long-term well-being.