Background: This secondary mixed-methods analysis was based on the interview data collected for an exploratory study of the experiences and needs of carers of persons with enduring mental illness. The aims were to identify and describe socio-demographic and contextual factors associated with the satisfaction of carers with family support.
Method: Content analysis and non-parametric tests were used for the exploration of qualitative and quantitative data collected from 38 carers.
Results: The majority of the satisfied carers were male and from a higher socio-economic group than other carers. The ill relatives of all satisfied participants resided outside their family homes. Carer satisfaction was associated with such categories as: a caring service; supportive and unintrusive family relationships; being accepted as partners; supportive community; and suitable family services. All the identified categories were interrelated.
Conclusions: The identified categories and socio-demographic factors should be considered for inclusion in the planning and evaluation of family support services.
Baum, F. (1995) Researching public health: Behind the qualitative-quantitative methodological debate. Social Science and Medicine, 40, 459-468.
2.
Cassidy, E., Hill, S. & O'callaghan, E. (2001) Efficacy of psychoeducational intervention in improving relatives' knowledge about schizophrenia and reducing hospitalization. European Psychiatry, 16(8), 446-450.
3.
Central, Statistics Office (2003). Census 2002. Volume 4. Principal Socio-economic Results. Dublin: The Stationery Office.
4.
Clifford, P., Cipher, D.J. & Roper, K.D. (2003) Assessing resistance to activities of daily living in long-term care. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 4, 313-319.
5.
Dixon, L., McFarlane, W.R., Lefley, H., Lucksted, A., Cohen, M., Falloon, I., Mueser, K., Milkowitz, D., Solomon, P. & Sondheimer, D. (2001) Evidence-based practices for services to families of people with psychiatric disabilities. Psychiatric Services, 59, 903-910.
6.
Dyck, D., Short, R. & Vitaliano, P. (1999) Predictors of burden and infectious illness in schizophrenia caregivers. Psychosomatic Medicine, 61, 411-419.
7.
Dubois, J., Rypens, F., Garel, L., David, M., Lacroix, J. & Gauvin, F. (2007) Incidence of deep vein trombosis related to peripherally inserted central catheters in children and adolescents. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 177(10), 1185-1190.
8.
Grella, C. & Grusky, O. (1989) Families of the seriously mentally ill and their satisfaction with services. Hospital & Community Psychiatry , 40, 831-835.
9.
Gruber, E., Kajeviç, M., Agius, M. & Martiç-Bioçina, S. (2006) Group psychotherapy for parents of patients with schizophrenia. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 52(6), 487-500.
10.
Hansen, E. (2006) Successful Qualitative Health Research: A Practical Introduction. New York: Open University Press.
11.
Hsieh, H. & Shannon, S.E. (2005) Three Approaches to Qualitative Content Analysis [Electronic Version]. Qualitative Health Research, 15, 1277 [http://qhr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/15/9/1277].
12.
Kartalova-O'Doherty, Y., Tedstone Doherty, D. & Walsh, D. (2006) Family Support Study: A Study of Experiences, Needs, and Support Requirements of Families with Enduring Mental Illness in Ireland . Dublin: Health Research Board .
13.
Kirsh, B. & Tate, E. (2006) Developing a comprehensive understanding of the working alliance in community mental health. Qualitative Health Research, 16(8), 1054-1074.
14.
Leavey, G., King, M., Cole, E., Hoar, A. & Johnson-Sabine, E. (1997) First-onset psychotic illness: patients' and relatives' satisfaction with services. British Journal of Psychiatry, 170, 53-57.
15.
Lefley, H. (2001) The impact of mental disorders on families and carers. In Textbook of Community Psychiatry (ed S.G. Thornicroft), pp. 151-154. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
16.
Lincoln, Y. & Guba, E.G. (1985) Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills: Sage.
17.
McKinney, W., Yong, M.J., Hartz, A. & Lee, M.B. (1989) The inexact use of Fisher's Exact Test in six major medical journals. Journal of the American Medical Association , 261(23), 3430-3433.
18.
National Institute for Clinical Excellence ( 2002) Clinical Guideline 1. Schizophrenia: Core Interventions in the Treatment and Management of Schizophrenia in Primary and Secondary Care. London: NICE.
19.
Norusis, M. (2006) SPSS 15.0 Statistical Procedures Companion. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall Inc.
20.
O'Cathain, A., Murphy, E. & Nicoll, J. (2007) Why, and how, mixed methods research is undertaken in health services research in England: a mixed methods study [Electronic Version]. BMC Health Services Research, 7, 85. [ http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/7/85].
21.
Ruggeri, M. (1994) Patients' and relatives' satisfaction with psychiatric services: the state of the art of its measurement. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 29, 212-227.
22.
Rothausen, T. (1999) `Family' in organisational research. Journal of Organisational Behaviour, 20, 817-836.
23.
Sale, J. & Brazil, K. (2004) A strategy to identify critical appraisal criteria for primary mixed-methods studies. Quality and Quantity, 38, 351-365.
24.
Stengard, E., Honkonen, T., Koivisto, A. & Salokangas, R.K. (2000) Satisfaction of caregivers of patients with schizophrenia in Finland. Psychiatric Services , 51(8), 1034-1039.
25.
Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1998) Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory (2nd edition). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
26.
Tedstone Doherty, D., Walsh, D. & Moran, R. (2007) Happy Living Here… A Survey and Evaluation of Community Residential Mental Health Services in Ireland. Dublin: Mental Health Commission.
27.
Tessler, R., Gamacho, G. & Fisher, G. (1991) Patterns of contact of patients' families with mental health professionals. Hospital & Community Psychiatry , 42, 929-935.
28.
Whitney, J., Murray, J., Gavan, K., Todd, G., Whitaker, W. & Treasure, J. (2005) Experience of caring for someone with anorexia nervosa: qualitative study. British Journal of Psychiatry , 187, 444-449.
