Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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The oppression of caring: women caregivers of relatives with mental illness
- Author:
- SCHEYETT A.
- Journal article citation:
- Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work, 5(1), Spring 1990, pp.32-48.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Offers a feminist explanation of the state's neglect of the needs of carers and suggests appropriate changes in policy and in social workers' practice.
Predictors of depressive symptomatology in family caregivers of women with substance use disorders or co-occurring substance use and mental disorders
- Authors:
- BIEGEL David E., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Family Social Work, 13(1), January 2010, pp.25-44.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Families play a significant role in the well-being of relatives with co-occurring substance misuse and mental health problems through the provision of direct care, management of symptoms, retention of treatment and emotional support. This paper describes a stress-process model to investigate the impact of having a female family member with substance use or co-occurring substance use and mental disorder on family caregivers’ depressive symptomatology. Eighty two women receiving substance abuse treatment and the family member providing the most social support for each woman participated. Findings showed that greater caregiver depressive symptomatology was predicted by greater care recipient emotional problems, less care recipient social support, and poor caregiver health. The caregivers were twice as likely to suffer from depressive symptomatology compared to those in the general population. In conclusion, the author suggests that interventions aimed at improving the care recipients’ social network may help to improve the carers well-being.
Predictors of burden of family caregivers of women with substance use disorders or co-occurring substance and mental disorders
- Authors:
- BIEGEL David E., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 7(1/2), 2007, pp.25-49.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This American study examined the impact of having a female family member with a substance use or co-occurring disorders on family caregivers. Predictors of subjective burden (worry, stigma, and displeasure) and objective burden (family disruption) on caregivers and on types of burden were explored. Subjects were 82 women receiving substance abuse treatment and their family member providing most social support. Behavioural problems of the recipient and lack of social support for caregivers predicted higher levels of family member burden, with different types of social support predicting different types of burden. Having a dual disorder did not predict family member burden. Implications of findings for treatment are discussed. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Well-being, appraisal, and coping in Latina and Caucasian female dementia caregivers: findings from the REACH study
- Authors:
- COON D. W., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 9(4), July 2004, pp.340-345.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
While there has been considerable interest in studying ethnically diverse family caregivers, few studies have investigated the influence of dementia caregiving on Latino families. The current study includes participants from two sites of the REACH (Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health) project to compare well-being, appraisal, and religiosity by ethnicity, with specific attention to levels of acculturation. Latina (n = 191) and Caucasian female (n = 229) dementia family caregivers from two regions of the United States (Miami, Florida and Northern California) were compared at baseline on demographics, care recipient characteristics, mental and physical health, and psychosocial resources, including appraisal style and religiosity. Latina caregivers reported lower appraisals of stress, greater perceived benefits of caregiving, and greater use of religious coping than Caucasian caregivers. The relationship of these variables to level of acculturation for the Latina caregivers was also explored. Implications of these results for psychosocial interventions with Latino and Caucasian family caregivers are discussed.
Effect of perceived stigmatisation on the quality of life among ageing female family carers: a comparison of carers of adults with intellectual disability and carers of adults with mental illness
- Authors:
- CHOU Y.C., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 53(7), July 2009, pp.654-664.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Little account has been taken of quality of life (QoL) among family carers of adults with an intellectual disability (ID) and family carers of adults with a mental illness (MI), particularly the female ageing carers' perceived stigma. This study explores whether there are differences in the significant predictors of female ageing family carers' QoL between family carers of adults with ID and family carers of adults with MI and aims to examine the effect of these differences in stigma on carer QoL between the two groups. A structural survey interview was administered to 350 female family carers supporting persons with ID and 66 female carers supporting persons with MI; the carers were aged 55 years and older, and the interviews were carried between July 2006 and April 2007 at the carers' homes in a county in Taiwan. The survey package contained standardised scales to measure the carer's stigma, social support, QoL and health as well as adult and carer socio-demographic data. The results highlight that in both groups the ageing female family carers' health and social support were strongly associated with the level of their QoL even though there was also a strong effect of carers' perceived stigma on their QoL. Contrary to previous findings, ageing female family carers of adults with MI had a higher level of QoL compared with the carers of adults with ID. Hierarchical regressions show a stronger effect of perceived stigma on the carer QoL among the family carers of adults with MI than among the carers of adults with ID. The authors conclude that this study suggests that attempts to improve these female older family carers' health and social support must include their lifelong unmet needs in terms of how to cope with the perceived stigma associated with their position.
The impact of caregiver-care recipient relationship quality on family caregivers of women with substance use disorders of co-occurring substance and mental disorders
- Authors:
- KATZ-SALTZMAN Shiri, BIEGEL David E., TOWNSEND Aloen
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Family Social Work, 11(2), 2008, pp.141-165.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
A cross-sectional, interview-based study of 82 carers of female family members with a substance use, or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorder, is reported, with the aim of assessing carer burden. Regression findings indicate that relationship quality influences both subjective and objective burden. Higher levels of emotional support given to the care recipient by the carer predicted lower levels of carer displeasure, while higher levels of undermining of the care recipient by the carer predicted higher levels of carer stigma. Higher levels of emotional support received by the carer from the care recipient were associated with lower carer displeasure and lower objective burden, while higher levels of undermining of the carer by the care recipient predicted higher objective burden. The implications for practice and service delivery are discussed.
Caring and COVID-19: hunger and mental wellbeing
- Authors:
- BENNETT Matthew R., ZHANG Yanan, YEANDLE Sue
- Publisher:
- University of Sheffield. CIRCLE
- Publication year:
- 2020
- Pagination:
- 16
- Place of publication:
- Sheffield
This report looks at the use of foodbanks and the experience of hunger in the households of unpaid carers providing care to someone living outside their own household in April 2020, during COVID-19 lockdown. Drawing on data from the April 2020 wave of Understanding Society COVID-19 survey, the analysis also reports evidence of changes in carers’ mental wellbeing, analysing these by sex, age and employment status. There were an estimated 6,048,286 adults providing care to someone living outside their own household in the UK in 2020. They are a ‘subset’ of the 10,991,440 adults estimated to be carers. The analysis shows considerable evidence of the difficulties some carers face – 228,625 carers said someone in their household had gone hungry in the previous week with women being twice as likely as men to report this; figures were especially high for younger carers, reaching 12.24% for those aged 17-30. In addition, 106,450 carers (1.76%) said their household had used a foodbank in the past month – female carers were twice as likely as men to use foodbanks and foodbank use was especially high (8%) for carers aged 17-30. The report also looks at carers’ mental wellbeing in April 2020 and compares it with the same carers’ reported wellbeing in the 2017-19 wave of the survey. It shows that carers’ mental wellbeing was lower than that of non-carers in both surveys – mental wellbeing was much lower among female carers than male carers and lower for working age carers, especially those aged 17-45. Between 2017-19 and April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the mental wellbeing of female carers, older carers, carers in employment and those without a paid job declined. (Edited publisher abstract)
Gender effects on components of burden and depression among dementia caregivers
- Authors:
- PILLEMER Sarah, DAVIS Jennifer, TREMONT Geoffrey
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 22(9), 2018, pp.1156-1161.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objective: Previous literature has examined burden and depression predominately as unitary constructs in relation to dementia caregiving. No studies thus far have examined gender differences in the specific components of burden and depression in dementia caregivers. The current study examined whether empirically validated dimensions of caregiver burden differed by gender for dementia caregivers. Methods: The sample consisted of 211 dementia caregivers enrolled in a longitudinal intervention study. Only baseline functioning was evaluated in this study. Levels of burden were assessed using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), and levels of depression were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Results: Factor analysis revealed three facets of burden: impact of caregiving on the caregivers’ lives, guilt, and frustration/embarrassment, and four facets of depression: depressed affect, somatic activity, positive affect, and interpersonal feelings. Overall burden (p < .001) and impact of caregiving on the caregivers’ life (p < .001) were significantly higher in females. Overall levels of depression (p = .018), somatic and retarded activity (p = .018), depressed affect (p = .005), and positive affect (p = .012) were significantly higher in females. Conclusions: Findings suggest that distressed male and female dementia caregivers experience caregiving differently. Results from this study could be used to identify gender-specific interventions related to subtypes of burden and depression to optimize quality of life for caregivers. (Publisher abstract)
Predictors of dyadic relationship quality of women in substance abuse treatment
- Authors:
- BIEGEL David E., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Dual Diagnosis, 3(1), 2006, pp.87-112.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
The quality of relationship between family caregivers and care recipients with dual disorders can impact care recipients' well-being and treatment outcomes as well as caregivers' well-being and involvement in care. This American study examines the impact of caregiver stressors and well-being on relationship quality of family caregivers of women with substance use disorders or co-occurring substance and mental disorders. Eighty-two women receiving in-patient or out-patient substance abuse treatment and the family member/significant other, nominated by each woman, who provided her with the most social support, were interviewed in this non-experimental cross-sectional study. A stress coping model was utilized to identify the impact of family caregivers' stressors (care recipient behavioural, substance abuse, and mental health problems) and caregiver well-being (burden and depressive symptomatology) on caregivers' perceptions of the quality of their relationship with their care recipient. Findings from multiple regression analyses, across four types of caregiver well-being, show that greater perceived support to the caregiver was predicted by fewer perceived care recipient substance abuse problems, whereas higher levels of undermining of the caregiver was predicted by greater care recipient behavioural problems and by the family caregiver being a significant other of the care recipient. Care recipient classification as having a current dual disorder as compared to a current substance use disorder only was not a significant predictor of perceived support given to the caregiver or of perceived undermining of the family member. The findings suggest interventions for family caregivers need to be tailored to address different and possibly multiple groups of caregivers, specific types of stressors, and care recipient behavioural problems. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease: a qualitative study from the Indian 10/66 Dementia Research Network
- Authors:
- SHAJI K. S., et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18(1), January 2003, pp.1-6.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Dementia is a rapidly growing problem in all parts of the developing world. Such societies are characterised by low levels of awareness regarding dementia as a chronic degenerative brain syndrome, and by an absence of supportive health and welfare services. There is reliance upon families as the cornerstone of support and care. However, surprisingly little is known of the care arrangements for people with dementia and the strain experienced by their family caregivers. A qualitative study of 17 caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease identified through an innovative case-finding program in Thrissur, South India, obtained information on the range of care arrangements, attitudes towards care giving roles and sources of strain. The majority of caregivers were young women, often daughters-in-law of women with dementia. The principal sources of caregiver strain were behavioural problems associated with the dementia syndrome, and incontinence. Strain was exacerbated by the lack of supportive response by local health services, and by lack of support and, sometimes, criticism from other family members. Family conflict was commonly encountered. The majority of caregivers experienced significant deterioration in their mental health.