A Study to assess the burden of care and Coping strategies among caregivers of mentally ill patients in selected hospital, Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Abstract

Burden of care refers to physical, psychological, social disturbances of the caregivers and coping strategies means, it is an effort of individual which will help them in overcoming of any problem while caring mentally ill patient. To assess the burden of care and Coping strategies among caregivers of mentally ill patients in selected hospital. Methodology: Descriptive research design was used in the study on total 140 caregivers were selected through convenience sampling technique. Data was collected by interview method for Socio-demographic variables, structured tool on Burden Scale for Family Caregivers and Coping Scale for Family Caregivers area in Psychiatry OPD and IPD of Himalayan Hospital, Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Results: The study result showed that the burden of care among caregivers of mentally ill patients was high (53.6%) and the caregivers who were adopted sufficient coping strategies were (55.0%) and 45.0% caregivers of mentally ill patients were having less coping strategy to deal with burden of care while caring mentally ill patient. The result also showed that the mean Burden of care of family caregivers score was maximum in psychological (13.743.475), minimum in Sociological (7.982.306) and least in physiological domain (6.142.498). Result depicts that mean of coping strategies among caregivers score was maximum in psychological (22.063.571), minimum in physiological (12.731.340) and least in sociological (8.812.643). Conclusion: Study concluded that there is the presence of high burden among caregivers of mentally ill patients and they are using sufficient coping strategies.