Mprah Wisdom Kwadwo, Opoku Maxwell Peprah, Gyimah Ebenezer Mensah, Nur Shakila, Duorinaah Juventus, Frimpomaa Lilian, Efstratopoulou Maria
Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies, Department of Health Promotion and Disability Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB, KNUST, Kumasi AK-448-4944, Ghana.
Special Education Department, College of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 Jan 22;22(2):144. doi: 10.3390/ijerph22020144.
Caregivers play a crucial role in the support and management of individuals experiencing mental health disorders; however, there is a paucity of research concerning the experiences of caregivers of deaf persons diagnosed with any form of mental disorder in Ghana. This study aims to explore the lived experiences of these caregivers, with a particular focus on their perceptions of mental health, available support systems, challenges encountered, and the consequent impact on familial relationships while supporting this underserved population.
This qualitative study engaged eleven family caregivers of deaf adults diagnosed with a mental health disorders made up of ten females and one male aged 45-68 years, recruited across four of the sixteen administrative regions in Ghana. Utilizing a semi-structured interview guide, face-to-face interviews were conducted to gather in-depth narratives from the participants.
Thematic analysis of the data revealed several key themes, including the awareness and understanding of mental health disorders, availability and accessibility of mental health support services and training, dynamics of psychosocial and familial relationships, and the multifaceted challenges faced in caregiving for individuals with mental health disorders.
The findings underscored an urgent need for the development of a specialized caregiving manual tailored for caregivers of deaf individuals experiencing mental health disorders. This study advocates for policymakers to prioritize the creation of such resources to enhance care delivery and improve overall mental health outcomes for this vulnerable population.
照顾者在为患有精神健康障碍的个体提供支持和管理方面发挥着关键作用；然而，在加纳，针对被诊断患有任何形式精神障碍的聋人照顾者的经历的研究却很少。本研究旨在探索这些照顾者的生活经历，特别关注他们对心理健康的看法、可用的支持系统、遇到的挑战以及在支持这一服务不足人群时对家庭关系产生的影响。
这项定性研究涉及11名被诊断患有精神健康障碍的成年聋人的家庭照顾者，其中包括10名女性和1名年龄在45至68岁之间的男性，他们是在加纳16个行政区中的4个行政区招募的。利用半结构化访谈指南，进行面对面访谈以收集参与者的深入叙述。
对数据的主题分析揭示了几个关键主题，包括对精神健康障碍的认识和理解、精神健康支持服务和培训的可用性和可及性、心理社会和家庭关系的动态，以及照顾患有精神健康障碍的个体所面临的多方面挑战。
研究结果强调迫切需要为患有精神健康障碍的聋人的照顾者制定一本专门的照顾手册。本研究倡导政策制定者优先创建此类资源，以加强护理服务并改善这一弱势群体的整体心理健康状况。
