Quality of life and other outcome measures in caregivers of patients with schizophrenia

There is a growing concern about caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia who assume almost the totality of the patient care. This responsibility exposes them to an intense burden with negative consequences for them and indirectly for patients' health. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of the content and psychometric properties of instruments assessing the experience of caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia. Of the 460 articles screened from 1990 to 2013, 16 instruments were identified focusing on caregivers' burden (8), coping strategies (3), perception of need (3) and quality of life (2). These instruments were based primarily on experts' opinions, except two which were based exclusively on caregivers' view. The psychometric properties were poorly documented for a number of them and no information was published about responsiveness. Future works are needed to involve caregivers in the development of instruments and to explore psychometric properties of these instruments.