The influence of caregiver stress and affiliate stigma in community-based mental health care on family caregiver wellbeing

Abstract

Previous studies have noted the inadequacies within Ghana’s mental health system. These studies highlighted challenges associated with caregiving before the passage of Ghana’s current Mental Health Act (Act 846) of 2012. Yet, there is paucity of research on the wellbeing of caregivers in community-based mental health care, following the passage of the Mental Health Act. This study investigated the influence of caregiver stress and affiliate stigma on family caregiver wellbeing. Further, it assessed the differences in stress, affiliate stigma, and wellbeing between community and institutional family caregiver groups in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Two hundred and eighty family caregivers of persons living with any type of mental illness were purposively sampled for the study. Results of Hierarchical Multiple Regression analysis showed that, caregiver stress negatively significantly influenced caregiver wellbeing. Moreover, results of a Multivariate Analysis of Covariance showed a significant difference between community and institutional family caregivers in the combined experience of stress, affiliate stigma and wellbeing, with community family caregivers scoring higher on wellbeing than did institutional family caregivers. Implications for caregiver interventions in the Eastern Region of Ghana are discussed.