Family members' lived experiences of non-compliance to psychiatric medication given to female adults living with depression.
Jeanne M Du Plessis, Marie Poggenpoel, Chris Myburgh and 1 others
PMID 33567850WHAT IT FOUND
Family members of women with depression who stopped taking medication reported aggression, substance use, and social isolation at home.
They felt unsupported by relatives and healthcare systems, struggling with fear, exhaustion, and stigma while caring for their relatives.
Key findings
01Family members reported that women with depression who were non-compliant with medication exhibited uncontrolled and disruptive behaviour, including alcohol and drug use, and became verbally aggressive towards them.
02Participants experienced a lack of support from extended family and the healthcare system, leading to feelings of loneliness, abandonment, and being ostracised due to stigma.
03Caring for these relatives caused physical exhaustion, fear, and distrust, with participants noting they had difficulty coping and lacked knowledge about the specific diagnosis or how to manage psychological problems.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted in a psychiatric hospital, so the findings may not apply to family members of women living with depression in the community. The sample size was very small (eight participants), which limits the transferability of the findings. Participants were recruited from a single institution, which may introduce bias related to the specific population served by that facility. The study relied on self-reported experiences from family members, without direct input from the patients themselves.
The easy way to misread this
Do not generalise these experiences to all families or patients. The study involved only eight family members from a hospital setting, and their reports of aggression and lack of support reflect their specific circumstances rather than a universal pattern for all families dealing with depression non-compliance.