WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Harshit Kumar Jain*, Babu Lal Sharma and Keshav Verma

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Mental illness poses a significant global health challenge, particularly in countries like India, wherestigma and misconceptions surrounding mental health persist. There is a lack of understanding regardingcaregivers' perceptions and coping strategies, highlighting the need for targeted research in this area. Method:This descriptive study was conducted at the Psychiatric Center in Jaipur, India, utilizing a non-probabilityconvenient sampling method. Seventy caregivers aged 21-51 years were selected, and standardized tools,including a Likert scale and modified coping strategies scale, were used to assess perceptions and copingstrategies. Results: The study revealed that a majority of caregivers demonstrated moderate levels of perceptionregarding mental illness, with 71.4% reporting moderate perception scores. Similarly, most caregivers exhibitedmoderate coping strategies when dealing with the challenges associated with mental illness, with 80%demonstrating moderate coping levels. Educational qualification emerged as a significant factor positivelycorrelating with perception scores, with postgraduate caregivers showing higher perception levels. However, othersociodemographic variables, such as age, gender, marital status, monthly household income, religion, type offamily, relation with the client, and occupation, did not show significant associations with coping strategies orperception levels. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for targeted interventions to improve caregivers'perception of mental illness and enhance coping strategies. Educational programs and counseling sessions tailoredto caregivers' specific needs could prove beneficial.

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