Experiences of family caregivers of persons living with mental illness: A meta-synthesis.
Esther I Ntsayagae, Marie Poggenpoel, Chris Myburgh
PMID 31588764WHAT IT FOUND
Family caregivers of relatives with mental illness in sub-Saharan Africa felt exhausted, fearful, stigmatised and powerless, but some found relief, hope and family closeness after help from hospital or family.
Key findings
01Caregivers described taking over day-to-day care, including meals, daily activities, monitoring treatment and mental state, watching for relapse and helping access services, which shifted family roles and priorities.
02Caregivers felt helpless, fearful of aggression, stigmatised and socially isolated; all 10 studies reported powerlessness.
03Some caregivers reported relief, hope, satisfaction or family closeness after treatment, hospital care, empowerment or practical help from relatives.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The review synthesises experiences from 10 qualitative studies, so it cannot show that information, support or hospital care changes caregiver outcomes. Only English studies were included, so non-English sub-Saharan contexts are missing. No included study was rejected on quality, and quality ratings ranged from 6.5 to 10, so weaker studies may have contributed. The studies came from Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania and Kenya and included 102 caregivers, with female participants taking the lead, so the themes may not apply to other settings or caregivers. Cultural and ethnic differences in caregiving were not covered.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the four themes as proof that nurse-led education or support improves caregiver outcomes. The paper synthesises caregivers' experiences from 10 qualitative studies; it did not test an intervention or measure change.