Issues faced by carers of people with a mental illness from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds: Carers’ and practitioners’ perceptions

Abstract This paper involves the examination of the perceptions of carers from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds regarding their conceptualisations of mental illness, stress and support, stigma, and pathways to seeking help. The carers’ and the treating practitioners’ perceptions of these issues are then compared. The research involved semistructured interviewing and qualitative analysis in an interpretative phenomenological approach. In-depth interviews were conducted with the carers of nine clients with a mental illness, from Italian, Vietnamese, Indian and Spanish-speaking backgrounds. The health professionals of the clients were also interviewed, and included psychiatrists and nurses. A number of difficulties experienced by carers from CALD backgrounds were highlighted. These included a lack of involvement in the treatment process, insufficient communication from health professionals, lack of understanding about mental illness, lack of support, increased stress, and a lack of understanding of explanatory models between carer and practitioner. The development of a preventative intervention strategy that is culturally compatible with the carer’s perception of caregiving is needed. From a preventative perspective, the mental health of primary carers, particularly those from disadvantaged communities, needs to be addressed.