Minimizing Burdens and Enhancing Quality of Life Among Family Caregivers of Patients with Substance Misuse Disorders

Background: Substance misuse disorder is a chronic relapsing disorder that affects the patients and
their family caregivers and management. It is associated with severe burdens in caring that decrease
quality of life. Aim: This study aimed to minimize burdens and enhance the quality of life among
family caregivers of patients with substance misuse disorders. Design: A quasi-experimental
(single group pre/posttest) design included 128 caregivers who attend with their patients with
substance misuse disorders during follow-up visits to the addiction outpatient clinic, Psychiatry
center. It is affiliated to Ain Shams University Hospitals. Tools for data collection: 1) Caregiver’s
Interviewing Questionnaire, 2) Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBIS), 3) World Health
Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire. Results: There was a highly statistically significant
relation regarding minimizing burdens among family caregivers of patients with substance misuse
disorder, in post phase p < 0.001 as compared to the pre-program implementation phase including
financial burden, disruption of routine family activities, disruption of family leisure, disruption of
family interactions, effect on the physical and mental health of caregivers. Moreover, there were
statistically significant positive correlations between types of burdens and quality of life domains
mean score pre-and post-program implementation among family caregivers of patients with
substance misuse disorder under study. Conclusions: burdens among family caregivers of patients
with substance misuse disorder have been minimized post-program implementation as compared to
the pre-program. Furthermore, minimizing burdens improved the quality-of-life domains post
program implementation among family caregivers of patients with substance misuse disorder under
study. Recommendations: Designing and Implementing psychiatric nursing intervention programs
for family caregivers of patients with substance misuse disorder in private and other governmental
hospitals, in rural as well as urban communities to improve their quality of life.