2022: Volume 3, Issue 1
Past Issues
Full-Text 
PDFPsychological Distress among Family Caregivers of Patients with Mental Disorders in Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospitals in Nigeria
Njaka Stanley1*, Ndidi Nkadi Chinedu2, Ogbodo Blessing Ada1, and Comfort Stephen Aguiyi3
1Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria
2School of Nursing Mater Misericordiae Hospital Afikpo Ebonyi State, Nigeria
3American International University West Africa, Gambia
*Corresponding Author: Njaka Stanley Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria E-mail: [email protected]
Received : December 8, 2021
Published : January 05, 2022
Citation: Stanley N, et al. (2022). Psychological Distress among Family Caregivers of Patients with Mental Disorders in Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospitals in Nigeria. Clin Res. 3(1):03.
Copyright: Stanley N, et al. © (2022).
ABSTRACT
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the psychological distress and the associated factors among family caregivers of mentally ill patients in two selected hospitals in South East Nigeria.
Method: Descriptive Cross-sectional design was used for this study. Data were collected using standard instrument, Kessler psychological distress scale (K10) which was administer to the sample size of 103 selected through systematic random sampling technique. Descriptive statistical method was used to analysis data on socio-demographic variables and the prevalence of the psychological distress while Kruskal Wallis test was used to test the hypotheses at the confidence interval of 95%.
Result: Overall prevalence of psychological distress among the respondents was 58.3% comprising of mild (4.2%), moderate (29.1%) and severe distress (25%). Gender of a family caregiver and psychiatric diagnosis of a patient relative were found not to be correlated to psychological distress. However, the age of family caregivers, education, relationship, occupation and their marital status were found to be positively correlated (p < 0.05) to psychological distress. Conclusion: Care related psychological distress is common amongst the respondents and calls for policy adjustment by the management of the psychiatric hospitals assessed in order to promote psychological wellbeing of the family caregivers. Socio-demographic variables such as age, gender and marital status are correlated with development of distress among the respondents.
