Caring for relatives with serious mental illness at home: The experiences of family carers in Hong Kong

This article describes a study recently carried out in Hong Kong, The aim of the study was to gain an understanding of the experiences of Chinese family carers in giving care to a relative with serious mental illness at home. Eight primary carers were selected, and data were collected through audiotaped, semistructured interviews in Cantonese, Five main categories emerged from the data: emotional impact, coping and adaptation, psychosocial effects, social support needs, and perceptions of mental illness and mental health services. Conclusions highlight the need for family-oriented mental health services to be developed and for further research to identify the specific nursing interventions that are effective in helping to sustain family caregiving in Chinese families. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.