Journal of Health, Medicine and Nursing www.iiste.org ISSN 2422-8419 An International Peer-reviewed Journal Vol.70, 2020 42 Correlation Between Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Burden Among Family Caregivers of Psychotic Patients Amal Ahmed 1 Prof.Alaa El Din Darweesh 2 prof. Ikram Mohamed 3 Assis.Prof, Zamzam Ahmed 3 1.Faculty of Nursing and Mental Health, South valley University, Egypt 2.Faculty of Medicine, Assuit University, Egypt 3.Faculty of Nursing and Mental Health, Assuit University, Egypt Abstract A descriptive study using a convenience sample of family caregivers of psychotic patients recruiting from outpatient clinic and inpatients department in the Psychiatry and Neurology Hospital at Assiut University. They interviewed individually by using Socio-Demographic sheet and Burden Assessment Scale. More than forty percent of caregivers (41.9%) were in the age group, ranged from 45 to less than 60 years and 66.7 % of them were females. family caregivers had the highest mean score of time perspective burden (7.3±2.7) followed by financial problems (2.2±1.2) and personal distress (7.2±2.7). It can be concluded that, family caregivers of psychotic patients were highly suffering from burden related to time perspective and financial burden. Keywords: burden, family caregivers, and psychotic patients. DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/70-06 Publication date: January 31 st 2020 1. Introduction Currently up 90% of people with mental disorders live with relatives who provide them with long-term practical and emotional support. This shift has resulted in the transferal of the day-to-day care of people with mental disorders to family members (Schulze & Rössler, 2005). Although, prevention of long-time hospitalization reduces stigmatization and increases quality of life for psychotic patients, it changes the situation of relatives. Restricted hospital admissions and reduced length of inpatient treatment inversely increase burden on relatives and many caregivers are suffering from ongoing distress (Boye et.al, 2001). Burden of care is a global issue affecting family caregivers in both developed and developing countries. Reine et al., 2003 defined burden on the family as the consequences for those in close contact with a severely disturbed person with mental health problems. In addition, burden may be defined as the presence of problems, difficulties or adverse effects which affect the lives of psychotic patients' caregivers. It involves the breakdown of reciprocal arrangements that people maintain in their relationship (Swaroop et. al, 2013). Caregiver burden has been defined as a negative reaction to the impact of providing care on caregivers’ social, occupational and personal roles (Papastavrou et.al, 2007). Also, it is a psychological state resulting from physical work and emotional and social pressure associated with caring. It has been described as having two components: objective burden which relates to the tangible impact of caregiving on a caregiver’s life (e.g., financial loss and time lost from daily activities) and subjective burden which refers to the caregiver’s perception of burden of care (Logdberg et.al, 2004). 2. Methods 2.1 Sample A convenient sample of family caregivers of one hundred (100) psychotic patients selected and the total number of them were 141 persons. The study was conducted at the outpatient clinic and inpatient department in the Psychiatry and Neurology Hospital at Assiut University which received all cases from governorates of Upper Egypt being the only specialist currently in psychiatric medicine. The actual study was carried out on a group of ten family caregivers of psychotic patients. Family caregivers were interviewed individually by using socio- demographic sheet, and burden assessment scale ( BAS). 2.2 Inclusion criteria: - A family caregiver defined as person who provides any type of physical, economic and/or emotional care for psychotic patients and is living permanently with the patient at home. - Caregivers of patients with psychotic disorders as (schizophrenia, mood disorders with psychotic features, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, brief psychotic disorder). 2.3 Exclusion criteria:- - Caregivers of patients with dual diagnosis as (substance/medication-induced psychotic disorder). - Caregivers with chronic medical illness - Caregivers who provide economic resources but unavailable because travelling abroad.