mental illness

This paper summarises findings of a review of research evidence and current service provision of support of carers of people with mental health problems (Arksey et al., 2002). Research consisting of (i) a literature review and (ii) a consultation exercise was carried out between October 2001 and March 2002. The research was commissioned by the National Co-ordinating Centre for NHS Service Delivery and Organisation Research and Development (NCCSDO)

This paper reports on a qualitative study analyzing service-user (SU) and carer perspectives on medication compliance and their experience of compulsory treatment. Eleven SUs and eight carers were interviewed. The research is set against the background of changes to mental health legislation in England, in the form of Supervised Community Treatment. This signals a change in community mental health practice and urges a reconsideration of concepts such as compliance, concordance and coercion.

Study design: Cross sectional survey. Objective: To examine the nature and prevalence of common mental disorders among informal carers of people with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) and the association with their leisure satisfaction. Setting: Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamilnadu, India.

BACKGROUND: There is a growing appreciation of the role and needs of carers for people with mental health problems. Carers are a diverse group, including partners, relatives and friends who are seen as such by service users.

This paper examines the burdens experienced by caregivers of people with schizophrenia. In-depth interviews were undertaken with 107 caregivers (79 caregivers of clients with a forensic history and 28 caring for non-offenders) and categorised into burden dimensions using content analysis. The severity of the burdens faced was also recorded. The types of burden experienced by the two groups were examined using chi squared and t-tests. Results indicated that the two groups described a similar number of burdens.

The aims of the study were to summarise available research evidence, to identify key gaps in existing knowledge and to identify priorities for further research in the area of services to support carers. The literature review examined and summarised evidence from published and unpublished literature (both UK and international) between 1985 and 2001 about effective and cost-effective services to support carers.

Aim.  The aim of this study was to review research literature over the past 10 years on respite care for people affected by severe mental illness; and identify key implications for nursing practice in provision of respite care for family caregivers of people with severe mental illness.