Year: 2026 | Month: July-September | Volume: 11 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 189-197
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijshr.20260322
A Study on Sleep Quality amongst Primary Caregivers of Patients with Schizophrenia
Pawan Gadgile1, Milan Balakrishnan2, Nandlal Prajapati3, Aparna Sengupta4, Priyanka Mahajan5, Sagar Karia6
1Resident Doctor, Department of Psychiatry, Masina Hospital, Mumbai.
2Senior Consultant and Head of Department, Department of Psychiatry, Masina Hospital, Mumbai.
3Professor & Head, Pacific Medical College & Hospital, Udaipur, Rajasthan.
4Clinical Psychologist, Department of Psychiatry, MGM Medical College, Navi Mumbai.
5Senior Consultant, Department of Psychiatry, Masina Hospital, Mumbai.
6Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, MGM Medical College, Navi Mumbai.
Corresponding Author: Dr. Sagar Karia
ABSTRACT
Background: Family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia experience substantial caregiving demands that may adversely affect their physical and psychological well-being, including sleep. However, evidence regarding sleep quality among primary caregivers of patients with schizophrenia, particularly in the Indian context, remains limited. This study aimed to assess sleep quality among primary caregivers of patients with schizophrenia and examine its association with selected sociodemographic, caregiving, and clinical factors.
Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Psychiatry Outpatient Department of a tertiary care centre following approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee. A total of 112 primary caregivers of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-5 criteria were recruited using convenience sampling. Caregivers aged 18–65 years who had resided with and provided care for the patient for at least six months were included. Sociodemographic, caregiving, and relevant clinical information was collected using a semi-structured proforma. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), with a global score >5 indicating poor sleep quality. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics, with a two-tailed p-value <0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: Of the 112 caregivers, 71 (63.4%) were female. The mean global PSQI score was 11.88 ± 3.25, indicating poor sleep quality. Overall, 110 (98.2%) caregivers had a PSQI score >5. No significant differences in mean PSQI scores were observed according to caregiver gender (11.94 ± 3.09 vs. 11.76 ± 3.53; p=0.77), employment status (12.08 ± 2.81 vs. 11.77 ± 3.46; p=0.64), or sleeping in the same room as the patient (12.08 ± 3.16 vs. 11.60 ± 3.38; p=0.44). Caregivers of symptomatic patients had significantly higher mean PSQI scores than caregivers of asymptomatic patients (12.21 ± 3.10 vs. 10.72 ± 3.53; p=0.04).
Conclusion: Poor sleep quality was highly prevalent among primary caregivers of patients with schizophrenia. Caregivers of patients with current symptoms reported significantly poorer sleep quality than those caring for asymptomatic patients. These findings highlight the importance of considering caregiver sleep as part of comprehensive schizophrenia care. Further multicentre studies using larger samples and assessing psychological and caregiving-related factors are warranted.
Keywords: Schizophrenia; Caregivers; Sleep; Sleep Quality; Mental Disorders; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index