A qualitative study of the responsibilities and unmet needs of carers of persons with severe mental health challenges.

IF 3.2 4区医学 Q2 PSYCHIATRY

Journal of Mental Health Pub Date : 2025-09-16 DOI:10.1080/09638237.2025.2558501

Anton N Isaacs, Sharon Lawn, Caroline Lambert, Anna Dyer

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Community care for persons with severe mental health challenges [SMHC] is typically provided by family members or relatives who are referred to as carers or caregivers. Identifying carer needs and suggestions for support is therefore critical to the enhancement of community care for such individuals.

Aim: This study aimed to explore the responsibilities and unmet needs of carers of persons with SMHC.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with carers of persons with severe mental health challenges. Data were analysed thematically.

Results: Fourteen carers were interviewed for the study. Twelve of them (86%) cared for their own adult children and 8 (57%) had been in the caring role for over 10 years. Five categories emerged from the data. They were: (1) The responsibility for caring falls on the carer, (2) Caring is exhausting work, (3) Carers are secondary consumers, (4) Carers have specific needs and (5) What carers want.

Conclusion: Family carers have no reasonable alternative but to take over the responsibility of caring. Caring is exhausting work and carers struggle to cope with the challenges of caring to the point where they become mentally unwell themselves. Therefore, carers need to be treated as secondary consumers.

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对具有严重精神健康挑战的人的照顾者的责任和未满足的需要进行定性研究。

背景：对有严重精神健康挑战的人的社区护理通常由家庭成员或亲属提供，他们被称为照顾者或看护者。因此，确定照顾者的需要并提出支持建议，对加强对这些人的社区照顾至关重要。目的：探讨重度精神病患者照顾者的责任及未满足需求。方法：采用半结构式访谈对严重心理健康问题患者的照顾者进行访谈。数据按主题进行分析。结果：本研究共采访了14名护理人员。其中12人（86%）照顾自己的成年子女，8人（57%）担任照顾角色超过10年。从这些数据中可以得出五个类别。它们是：(1)照顾的责任落在照顾者身上；(2)照顾是一项令人筋疲力尽的工作；(3)照顾者是次要消费者；(4)照顾者有特定的需求；(5)照顾者想要什么。结论：家庭照顾者除了承担照顾责任外，别无选择。照顾是一项令人筋疲力尽的工作，照顾者努力应对照顾的挑战，以至于他们自己也变得精神不舒服。因此，护理人员需要被视为次要消费者。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Mental Health PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL-

CiteScore

6.40

自引率

3.00%

发文量

117

期刊介绍： The Journal of Mental Health is an international forum for the latest research in the mental health field. Reaching over 65 countries, the journal reports on the best in evidence-based practice around the world and provides a channel of communication between the many disciplines involved in mental health research and practice. The journal encourages multi-disciplinary research and welcomes contributions that have involved the users of mental health services. The international editorial team are committed to seeking out excellent work from a range of sources and theoretical perspectives. The journal not only reflects current good practice but also aims to influence policy by reporting on innovations that challenge traditional ways of working.