Burden and Coping Patterns among Family Caregivers of Patients with Bipolar Disorder

Abstract

Bipolar disorder is a common, chronic and lifelong disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of mania or hypomania and depression which causes grave and debilitating consequences for its sufferers. WHO ranks bipolar disorder collectively as the 6th most common moderately to severely disabling condition in the world for any age group. It has been associated with direct costs such as the cost of hospitalization, medications, and indirect cost such as productivity loss and burden on family caregivers. Therefore, the burden among caregivers encompasses physical, psychological, emotional, social, and financial difficulties that family caregivers face because of taking care of responsibility for people with BD. The nurse play significant role in improving quality of the family- patient relationship. As well as, a nurse can be a competent care provider for a bipolar patient, an instructor for the family caregiver, and counselor of the people about bipolar disorder. Aim of the study: This study aimed to assess burden and coping patterns among family caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder.