Abstract
BACKGROUND: The global burden of mental illness and inadequate care services often leaves non-professional caregivers responsible for patients. As such, caregivers face significant negative consequences, including economic and health-related issues, with effects heightened for those caring for individuals with psychiatric illness. There is limited research on the quality of life for such caregivers in Ethiopia. Therefore, we studied the issue under the caption, since it is the first step in planning several intervention services. OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the quality of life and factors affecting caregivers of psychiatric patients at Saint Paul’s Hospital and Ammanuel Mental Specialized Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from July to August 2022. METHODS: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 402 caregivers selected from Saint Paul’s Hospital and Ammanuel Mental Specialized Hospital using simple random sampling, and data were collected with the WHOQOL-BREF 26-item questionnaire (self-administered or interviewer-administered for caregivers who could not read and write). RESULT: A total of 402 caregivers responded, yielding a response rate of 95.3%. Of these, 309 caregivers (76.9%) had Quality of Life (QOL) scores below 50%, with an overall median QOL of 39.3. Median scores for the physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains were 44, 44, 25, and 38, respectively. Factors such as caregiver’s age (AOR 0.3), educational status (AOR 0.34), and the patient’s diagnosis (Schizophrenia AOR 0.162, Major depressive disorder AOR 0.21, Bipolar disorder AOR 0.15) were associated with caregivers’ quality of life. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: The study findings indicate that the quality of life of caregivers at AMSH and SPHMMC is considerably low. These results emphasize the importance of considering the well-being of caregivers in mental health care provision, as they have a bidirectional relationship with patient treatment outcomes. It is crucial to recognize the significant role of caregivers in mental health care and develop appropriate interventions to improve their quality of life, which in turn can impact patient treatment outcomes. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s44192-026-00380-0.