Experiences of family members of relatives admitted as state patients in a psychiatric hospital.

BACKGROUND

Family members play an important role in caring for state patients during their admission to a psychiatric hospital. They receive limited support from the multidisciplinary team because they do not have a relationship that will promote the families to verbalise their thoughts, rather the interaction that the multidisciplinary team and family members share is about the admitted state patient.

AIM

This article explored and described the experiences of family members who have a relative admitted as a state patient in a psychiatric hospital. Based on the findings, specific recommendations were provided to facilitate the mental health of state patients' family members in the future.

SETTING

The study was conducted in participants' homes; only one interview took place in the psychiatric hospital when the family member came to meet the multidisciplinary team.

METHODS

The study employed a qualitative, exploratory and contextual research design. Family members' lived experiences were explored using in-depth phenomenological interviews and later analysed.

RESULTS

The findings indicated family members experienced negative feelings, a sincere desire to support their relatives and a great need to share information and knowledge about mental illness.

CONCLUSION

The study indicated that state patients' family members' mental health should be focused on to improve their understanding of mental illness.

CONTRIBUTION

The findings of this study call for collaboration between the family members, the police and multidisciplinary teams from the hospitals, the mental health awareness and counselling for families.