Caregiving for mental health service users: A study exploring the perceptions of mental health service users and their caregivers in Cape Town, South Africa.
BACKGROUND
Our study explores perceptions of the caregiver support for mental health service users (MHSUs) in a low- to middle-income country setting.


METHODS
We conducted in-depth individual interviews with 16 MHSUs and their treatment partners/caregivers from a treatment partner and text-message intervention study.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment partners/caregivers felt obligated to care for MHSUs, but had a limited understanding of mental illness. They found supporting adherence to treatment difficult due to a number of factors including violence, food insecurity and substance abuse.


CONCLUSIONS
Socioeconomic and environmental factors affecting the lives of MHSUs have impact on caregiver relationships with MHSUs in their care.
Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa goodmansibeko@gmail.com.
Goodman
G
Sibeko
Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Peter D
PD
Milligan
Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Henk
H
Temmingh
Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa Centre for Global Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Crick
C
Lund
Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa MRC Unit on Anxiety & Stress Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Dan J
DJ
Stein
Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Sumaya
S
Mall
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa; D060145:Text Messaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
Mental health; adherence; caregiver; caregiving; treatment partner