QUALITY OF LIFE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG PRIMARY CAREGIVERS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AT HARARI REGIONAL STATE AND DIRE DAWA CITY ADMINISTRATIVE PUBLIC HOSPITALS, EASTERN ETHIOPIA, 2024

Abstract

Background:Mental illness is a widespread issue that affects millions of people worldwide. Its impact is not only limited to the individuals suffering from it but also extends to their families and communities. Family members, who often act as primary caregivers, play a crucial role in offering support to those with mental health conditions. However, the challenges that caregivers face and the effects of mental illness on their quality of life are often overlooked and not adequately addressed. Objective:To assess quality of life and associated factors among caregivers of people with mental illness at public hospitals in Harari Regional State and Dire Dawa City Administrative, from January 21 to February 21, 2024. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was employed among 437 study primary caregiverswho were selected by systematic sampling technique. Data were collected by using semi-structured and structured interviewer administered questionnaire. The data were entered into EPI data version 3.1 software and were analyzed by using STATA version 14. Linear regression was used to determine factors that affect the quality of life by applying forward selection methods. An interpretation of unstandardized β - Coefficients at 95% confidence intervals was considered to measure the association between dependent and independent factors at p-value of <0.05. Results: A total of 421 respondents participated with response rate of 96.3%. The total mean score of quality of life among primary caregiverswas 82.93 (±17.48) with 95% CI: (81.25 to 84.603). Regarding the domains of quality of life, the mean score of physical domains was found to be 58.05 (±18.81), psychological domain was 57.29 (±16.28), environmental domain was 53.04 (±16.13), and social domain was 51.19 (±23.12). Caregivers unable to read and write (β= -8.2 95% CI: (-11.83, -4.47), caregivers` depression (β= 4.57, 95% CI: (-7.48; - 1.66), perceived stigma (β= -.83, 95% CI: (-.99, -.62), perceived burden (β= -.59, 95% CI: (-.72, -.45), social support (β= .95, 95% CI: (.57,1.33), coping (β= .31, 95% CI: (.03,.59), and patient diagnosis being other group of mental illness (β= 4.63, 95% CI: (1.43,7.83) were factors significantly associated with physical domain of caregivers QOL. XIII Caregivers unable to read and write (β= -4.22, 95% CI: (-7.71,-.74), caregivers depression (β= -3.04, 95% CI: (-5.79, -.29)perceived stigma (β= -.51, 95% CI: (-.68, -.33) , perceived burden (β= -.24, 95% CI: (-.36, -.11), coping (β= .35, 95% CI: (.12,.65), and social support (β= .85, 95% CI: (.49,1.21), and patient diagnosis being other group of mental illness (β= 5.9, 95% CI: (2.95,8.94) were factors significantly associated with psychological domain of caregivers QOL. Caregivers unable to read and write (β= -11.8, 95% CI: (17.09,6.55), widowed caregivers (β= -8.54, 95% CI: (-13.08,3.87), widowed patient (β= -6.06, 95% CI: (-11.85,-.27), caregivers depression (β= -3.58, 95% CI: (-6.37,-.80) perceived stigma (β= -.83, 95% CI: (-1.09, -.56), perceived burden (β= -.56, 95% CI: (-.75, -.37), coping (β= .77, 95% CI: (.37,1.17) social support (β= 1.01, 95% CI: (.47,1.56), daily caregiving hour (β= -.49, 95% CI: (-.96,-.02), and patient diagnosis being other group of mental illness (β= 5.27, 95% CI: (.75,9.79) were factors significantly associated with social domain of caregivers QOL. Caregivers unable to read and write (β= -7.3, 95% CI: (-10.68, -3.89), widowed patient (β= - 4.42, 95% CI: (-7.94,-.49), caregivers depression (β= -4.30, 95% CI: (-6.98, -1.61), perceived stigma (β= -.69, 95% CI: (-.84, -.50), perceived burden (β= -.40, 95% CI: (-.52, -.27), coping (β= .39, 95% CI: (.13,.65), social support (β= .48, 95% CI: (.13,.84), and patient diagnosis being other group of mental illness (β= 4.15, 95% CI: (1.19,7.10) were factors significantly associated with environmental domain of caregivers QOL. Conclusion:The quality of life of caregivers of patients living with mental illness was found to be low with the lowest mean score in social domain.Being widowed, educational status, caregiver‘s depression, perceived burden, perceived stigma, average daily caregiving hours, poor social support, and coping mechanism type were factors significantly associated with caregivers QOL domains.