WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Renuka Adhikari*, Sami Lama, Nirmala Shrestha, Kriti Thapa and Nidesh Sapkota

ABSTRACT

Background: Family caregivers of people with mental illnesses are a key support system. The caregivers suffer substantial burden as a result of the care giving role and need help from the mental health professionals, since it is typically a chronic and long term challenge. Caregivers use different coping strategies to cope with their burden. The objective of the study was to assess the level of burden and coping among caregivers of chronic mentally ill patients attending Psychiatric Department BPKIHS. Methods: A hospital based cross sectional study was adopted among 100 caregivers who had attended OPD and IPD of Psychiatric department with mentally ill patients. Purposive sampling technique was used. Caregivers who were staying with the patient for at least 6 months were interviewed face to face using the Zarit burden Interview scale and Brief Cope Inventory. Results: Majority of caregivers (66%) had severe burden, 28% had moderate to severe burden and six percent of them had mild to moderate burden. Mean score and SD of using Active coping as coping strategies was 6.97±1.167, followed by Acceptance 6.28±1.621 and Religion 6.28±1.471 respectively. Problem focused coping strategies were adopted more than emotion focused coping strategies. There was significant association between patient's position in the family and patient's occupation with the burden. Positive correlation was found between caregiver's burden and coping strategies that are statistically significant. Conclusions: Majority of the caregivers experienced severe burden while caring their mentally ill relatives. Problem focused strategies were adopted by most of the respondents.