A qualitative study of the responsibilities and unmet needs of carers of persons with severe mental health challenges

Background: Community care for persons with severe mental health challenges [SMHC] is typically provided by family members or relatives who are referred to as carers or caregivers. Identifying carer needs and suggestions for support is therefore critical to the enhancement of community care for such individuals. 

Aim: This study aimed to explore the responsibilities and unmet needs of carers of persons with SMHC. 

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with carers of persons with severe mental health challenges. Data were analysed thematically. 

Results: Fourteen carers were interviewed for the study. Twelve of them (86%) cared for their own adult children and 8 (57%) had been in the caring role for over 10 years. Five categories emerged from the data. They were: (1) The responsibility for caring falls on the carer, (2) Caring is exhausting work, (3) Carers are secondary consumers, (4) Carers have specific needs and (5) What carers want. 

Conclusion: Family carers have no reasonable alternative but to take over the responsibility of caring. Caring is exhausting work and carers struggle to cope with the challenges of caring to the point where they become mentally unwell themselves. Therefore, carers need to be treated as secondary consumers.