TY - JOUR
T1 - The Burden of Care
T2 - Psychosocial Experiences and Coping Strategies among Caregivers of Persons with Mental Illness in Ghana
AU - Dadson, Deborah Awusuah
AU - Annor, Francis
AU - Salifu Yendork, Joana
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, © 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2018/11/2
Y1 - 2018/11/2
N2 - This study investigated psychosocial experiences and coping strategies of caregivers of persons with mental illness in a psychiatric hospital in Ghana. The study adopted a qualitative design in which 20 participants (10 psychiatric nurses and 10 family caregivers) were sampled from the hospital and interviewed. Using thematic analysis, the results showed that stress was common with both psychiatric nurses and family caregivers, which impact on their physical health. Both groups of caregivers reported experiences of stigma, with psychiatric nurses being stigmatized mainly by other health workers whereas family caregivers reported stigma from the public, particularly neighbors. Coping strategies differed between family caregivers and psychiatric nurses, in that nurses mostly used avoidance strategies and humor in dealing with stress and stigma associated with their work whereas family caregivers used emotion-focused coping. The implications of these findings include the need for counseling services to help caregivers manage negative experiences and psychoeducation of caregivers on adaptive coping strategies as well as training strategies targeting the public and healthcare workers on measures to reduce the stigma associated with caring for persons with mental illnesses.
AB - This study investigated psychosocial experiences and coping strategies of caregivers of persons with mental illness in a psychiatric hospital in Ghana. The study adopted a qualitative design in which 20 participants (10 psychiatric nurses and 10 family caregivers) were sampled from the hospital and interviewed. Using thematic analysis, the results showed that stress was common with both psychiatric nurses and family caregivers, which impact on their physical health. Both groups of caregivers reported experiences of stigma, with psychiatric nurses being stigmatized mainly by other health workers whereas family caregivers reported stigma from the public, particularly neighbors. Coping strategies differed between family caregivers and psychiatric nurses, in that nurses mostly used avoidance strategies and humor in dealing with stress and stigma associated with their work whereas family caregivers used emotion-focused coping. The implications of these findings include the need for counseling services to help caregivers manage negative experiences and psychoeducation of caregivers on adaptive coping strategies as well as training strategies targeting the public and healthcare workers on measures to reduce the stigma associated with caring for persons with mental illnesses.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85055553542&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/01612840.2018.1496208
DO - 10.1080/01612840.2018.1496208
M3 - Article
C2 - 30346231
AN - SCOPUS:85055553542
SN - 0161-2840
VL - 39
SP - 915
EP - 923
JO - Issues in Mental Health Nursing
JF - Issues in Mental Health Nursing
IS - 11
ER -