56
Efective Implementation of a Structured Psychoeducation Programme among Caregivers of Schizophrenia Patients in the Community
Table 1. Socio-demography of caregivers in intervention and control groups
a
Characteristic Intervention Group
n=54 Control Group
n=55 p-value
b
Age, years 53.1 SD=13.5
53.9 SD=17.09 0.797
c
Age category 30 years
30-39 years 40-49 years
50 years 4 7.4
3 5.6 15 27.8
32 59.3 6 10.9
8 14.5 8 14.
33 60.0 0.763
0.215 0.144
0.907
Gender Male
Female 27 50.0
27 50.0 15 27.3
40 72.7 0.025
Ethnicity Malay
Chinese Indian
Others 25 46.3
13 24.1 8 14.8
8 14.8 31 56.4
17 30.9 6 10.9
1 1.8 0.389
0.558 0.747
0.034 Marital status
Married Single
Widowwidowed 8 14.8
39 72.2 7 13.0
13 23.6 31 56.4
11 20.0 0.355
0.127 0.465
Household income RM 500
RM 500-RM 999 RM1,000-RM 1,499
RM 1,500 No response
13 24.1 16 29.6
6 11.1 17 31.5
2 3.7 15 27.3
16 29.1 4 7.3
7 12.7 13 23.6
0.870 0.881
0.717 0.033
0.006 Education level
No formal education Primary
Secondary above 9 16.6
14 25.9 31 57.4
8 14.5 15 27.3
32 58.2 0.967
0.954 0.912
Duration as a caregiver 5 years
5-10 years 11-20 years
20 years 20 37.0
17 31.5 10 18.5
7 13.0 10 18.2
17 30.9 13 23.6
15 27.3 0.047
0.887 0.675
0.105
a Data are presented as number percentage. b All statistical analysis were performed using the Chi-square test.
c Statistical analyses using the Independent samples T-test.
57
Efective Implementation of a Structured Psychoeducation Programme among Caregivers of Schizophrenia Patients in the Community
The socio-demographic characteristics of caregivers are shown in Table 1. The mean age of caregivers were similar in both the intervention and control groups 53.1
vs. 53.9 years, p=0.797. Majority of them were more than 50 years old 59.3 vs. 60.0, p=0.884. There were significantly more male caregivers in the intervention
group compared to the control group 50.0 vs. 27.3, p=0.025. The distribution of Malay, Chinese, and Indian caregivers were similar in both groups, but there
were significantly more caregivers of other ethnicity in the intervention group 14.8 vs. 1.8, p=0.034. The duration as a caregiver was significantly shorter in
the intervention group, where there were more caregivers who worked less than 5 years 37.0 vs. 18.2, p=0.047. Significantly more caregivers in the intervention
group had a monthly household income of more than RM 1,500 31.5 vs. 12.7, p= 0.033. A significant number of caregivers in the control group chose not to
reveal their income status 23.6. Marital status and education level did not differ significantly between both groups.
4.2 Socio-demography of schizophrenic patients
There were 54 patients in the intervention group and 55 in the control group see Table 2. Their mean age were similar 41.5 vs. 46.0 years, p=0.060. There was an
equal distribution of male patients in both groups 46.3 vs. 41.8, p=0.781. Similar to caregivers, there was no significant difference in the distribution of Malays,
Chinese, and Indian patients in both groups, but a significantly higher number of patients of other ethnicity in the intervention group 9 vs. 1, p=0.019. The
duration of illness was statistically different between the groups. Patients in the intervention group had a shorter duration of illness below 9 years: 48.1 vs. 28.8,
p=0.04. Marital status was not statistically different between the groups. However, most patients in both groups were single 62.1 vs. 62.5 respectively. Education
level and household income category did not differ significantly between both groups.
4.3 Knowledge of caregivers on schizophrenia
Caregivers were subjected to a test on the understanding of schizophrenia illness using the Knowledge Questionnaire Form before and after the psychoeducation,
and knowledge scores were calculated Table 3. In the intervention group, there was a highly significant improvement in the knowledge scores immediately after
psychoeducation was provided baseline vs. immediate post-intervention: 13.78 vs. 15.87, p0.001. Knowledge assessment at 3-months post-intervention also
showed a highly significant improvement in the knowledge scores from 15.87 to 18.15 p0.001. However, the change in knowledge score from 3-months to
6-months post-intervention was not statistically significant. In the control group receiving the usual care, their knowledge score at 3-months improved compared to
baseline but the increment was not statistically significant 13.47 vs. 14.33, p=0.083.
