TABLE 2.
Care difficulties experienced by caregivers of people with schizophrenia during COVID‐19 pandemic lockdowns (April 7 – May 25, 2020) (N = 132)
| Care difficulties experienced by caregivers of people with schizophrenia during COVID‐19 pandemic lockdowns | Strongly disagree | Disagree | Neither agree nor disagree | Agree | Strongly agree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I was worried or actually in trouble that the medical institution would not accept people with schizophrenia if they became infected with COVID‐19 because they have a mental illness. | 14 (10.6) | 31 (23.5) | 10 (7.6) | 38 (28.8) | 39 (29.5) |
| 2 | I was worried or actually in trouble that people with schizophrenia might not be able to receive psychiatric outpatient or inpatient treatment due to COVID‐19. | 20 (15.2) | 36 (27.3) | 15 (11.4) | 32 (24.2) | 29 (22.0) |
| 3 | I felt that the burden of housework increased because people with schizophrenia stayed at home due to COVID‐19. | 43 (32.6) | 32 (24.2) | 16 (12.1) | 24 (18.2) | 17 (12.9) |
| 4 | I felt that financial burdens increased because people with schizophrenia stayed at home due to COVID‐19. | 43 (32.6) | 34 (25.8) | 28 (21.2) | 17 (12.9) | 10 (7.6) |
| 5 | I was worried or actually in trouble about who would take care of people with schizophrenia if I became infected with COVID‐19. | 7 (5.3) | 18 (13.6) | 10 (7.6) | 30 (22.7) | 67 (50.8) |
| 6 | I was worried or actually in trouble that I might not be able to use local consulting services such as from a hospital, city hall, or family association due to COVID‐19. | 22 (16.7) | 34 (25.8) | 6 (4.5) | 40 (30.3) | 30 (22.7) |
| 7 | I felt that my relationship with people with schizophrenia was getting worse as I spent more time at home with them due to COVID‐19. | 48 (36.4) | 33 (25.0) | 27 (20.5) | 19 (14.4) | 5 (3.8) |
| 8 | I was worried or actually in trouble about worsening schizophrenia due to COVID‐19. | 34 (25.8) | 24 (18.2) | 24 (18.2) | 28 (21.2) | 22 (16.7) |
| 9 | I was worried or actually in trouble about whether or not people with schizophrenia could adopt new behaviors such as wearing a mask during the COVID‐19 pandemic. | 45 (34.1) | 38 (28.8) | 8 (6.1) | 34 (25.8) | 7 (5.3) |
| 10 | I felt that my leisure time had decreased because people with schizophrenia could not go to work due to COVID‐19. | 48 (36.4) | 26 (19.7) | 26 (19.7) | 20 (15.2) | 12 (9.1) |