Mbedzi Takalani E, van der Wath Anna E, Moagi Miriam M
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Tshwane, South Africa.
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
S Afr J Psychiatr. 2024 Nov 29;30:2280. doi: 10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v30i0.2280. eCollection 2024.
In recovery-oriented mental health care, family members of mental health care users form part of the caring team. Families are expected to care for mental health care users without support in the under-resourced rural Vhembe district in South Africa.
This study aims to describe the lifeworld of family members caring for mental health care users in rural areas to inform the development of a support programme.
Purposive sampling was used to select 16 family members from eight community health centres in the Vhembe district.
A qualitative approach, using a descriptive phenomenological design, was adopted to conduct unstructured interviews that were transcribed, translated and analysed using a descriptive method.
Family members continuously contemplate their responsibilities. Endless concerns and stress result in forgetfulness and physical problems such as insomnia, hypertension and pain. Family members feel powerless and helpless when there is no improvement and support from community resources. Fear of being violated, embarrassed and stigmatised by community members results in social isolation and depression.
Caregiving is burdensome in poorly resourced areas. Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness Psychosomatic and depressive symptoms relate to the lack of effective community support which are likely to result in compromising the care they provide.
The results call for the Department of Health to strengthen community mental health services and for health care professionals to provide supportive interventions based on the needs of mental health care users and their families.
在以康复为导向的精神卫生保健中，精神卫生保健使用者的家庭成员是护理团队的一部分。在资源匮乏的南非农村韦姆贝区，家庭被期望在没有支持的情况下照顾精神卫生保健使用者。
本研究旨在描述农村地区照顾精神卫生保健使用者的家庭成员的生活世界，为支持项目的开发提供信息。
采用目的抽样法从韦姆贝区的八个社区卫生中心选取了16名家庭成员。
采用定性研究方法，运用描述性现象学设计，进行非结构化访谈，并对访谈内容进行转录、翻译和描述性分析。
家庭成员不断思考自己的责任。无尽的担忧和压力导致健忘以及失眠、高血压和疼痛等身体问题。当社区资源没有改善和支持时，家庭成员会感到无力和无助。害怕被社区成员侵犯、尴尬和污名化导致社会孤立和抑郁。
在资源匮乏地区，护理负担沉重。无助和绝望的感觉、身心症状和抑郁症状与缺乏有效的社区支持有关，这可能会影响他们提供的护理。
研究结果呼吁卫生部加强社区精神卫生服务，卫生保健专业人员根据精神卫生保健使用者及其家庭的需求提供支持性干预措施。
