Factors associated with quality of life among family caregivers of older adults with schizophrenia in Southwest Nigeria: A cross-sectional study

Objective This study assessed the quality of life (QOL) and associated factors among family caregivers of older adults with schizophrenia in southwest Nigeria. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 340 family caregivers recruited from three psychiatric hospitals in Southwest Nigeria. Quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organisation Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF), anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and caregiver burden using the Zarit Burden Interview. Hierarchical ordinal logistic regression was used to examine the predictors of overall QOL, with a sensitivity analysis using generalised ordinal logistic regression because the proportional odds assumption was violated. Results More than 60% of the caregivers reported poor or very poor quality of life. The final ordinal regression model was statistically significant (LR χ²(17) = 234.23, p < .001; Nagelkerke R ² = .527). Female caregivers had greater odds of reporting better overall QOL (OR = 2.90, 95% CI [1.76, 4.76], p < .001), whereas older age (OR = 0.98, p = .048), higher depression (OR = 0.90, p = .007), higher anxiety (OR = 0.92, p = .039), and greater caregiver burden (OR = 0.96, p < .001) were associated with a poorer overall QOL. Conclusion Family caregivers of older adults with schizophrenia reported poor QOL, which was associated with anxiety, depression, and caregiver burden. Nurses should prioritise interventions that reduce caregiver burden and psychological distress, particularly anxiety and depression, while providing targeted support for older caregivers to improve their QOL.