Caregiver, secondary victim: outcome of caring for patients with COVID -19: a qualitative content analysis study

Family caregiver experience of caring COVID-19 patients admitted in COVID-19 hospital of a tertiary care hospital in Nepal

BACKGROUND

Informal caregivers played a significant role in caring for COVID-19 patients during hospitalization in Nepal. This study aimed to understand the experiences of family caregivers attending to their relatives in a COVID-19 hospital in Nepal.

METHODS

A descriptive phenomenological approach was adopted to understand the caregiver's experience in supporting their relatives admitted to the COVID-19 hospital of the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS). Thirteen caregivers of COVID-19 positive patients were purposively selected from April to June, 2022. Face-to-face interviews were conducted at a caregiver residential facility using the interview schedule developed by the department for the purpose of data collection after obtaining ethical clearance from the Institutional review committee of BPKIHS. Data were audio recorded and manually analyzed.

RESULTS

Among the 13 caregivers, six were male and seven were female. The findings were categorized into five domains: challenges encountered, changes in physical and mental health, changes in roles and responsibilities, positive experiences, and strategies to ease caregiving tasks. Major challenges included financial burdens, communication problems, stigmatization, Insecurity, substandard accommodation, and visitor restrictions. Caregivers reported negative emotions, unmet physical health needs, and shifts in family and occupational roles. Despite these challenges, caregivers attempted to cope positively and acknowledged the efforts of healthcare personnel and other family members. Suggestions for improving caregiving included providing essential medical and basic services within the hospital, enhancing accommodation facilities, establishing proper communication channels, and allowing visitations.

CONCLUSIONS

Caregivers of COVID-19 patients face significant challenges during the caregiving process. Enhancing hospital services, promoting effective communication, fostering positive attitudes, and ensuring a safe environment can facilitate caregiving tasks.

Schizophrenia: jinn, magic or disease? Experiences of family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia in Baloch ethnicity

BACKGROUND

Cultural and religious beliefs are effective on people's attitudes towards schizophrenia and their help-seeking behaviors. This study aimed to explain the experiences of family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia in Baloch ethnicity.

METHODS

This is a qualitative study with conventional content analysis approach. Purposive sampling was used and 21 participants, including family caregiver for patients with schizophrenia, a psychologist, a prayer-writer, and a normal person were interviewed in Sistan and Balochistan province in the southeast of Iran. Qualitative data were analyzed by Granheim and Lundman method.

RESULTS

One main theme, three categories, and 10 Sub-categories were extracted from analysis of interviews. "Immersion in the cultural beliefs" was the main theme of the study with categories of "Belief in the superstitious and supernatural nature of the psychological disease", "Superstitious beliefs, an attempt to free the patient", and "Conflict between cultural beliefs and science".

CONCLUSIONS

Help-seeking behaviors of family caregivers in Baloch ethnicity are influenced by their religious, superstitious, and cultural beliefs. Psycho-education should be part of all mental health education programs in these communities, as delays in treatment worsen the prognosis of people with schizophrenia. Training the medical staff to consider the culture, religion and therapeutic preferences of the Baloch people can be effective in advancing the goals. In addition, local influencers should stress the importance of health care alongside harmless local remedies.