Caregivers’ Experiences With Major Depression Concealed by Physical Illness in Patients Recruited From Central Ugandan Primary Health Care Centers
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Date
2008
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Qualitative Health Research
Abstract
In this article, we present caregivers’ grapples with major depression seen among their physically ill patients. A thematic
analysis of 29 in-depth caregiver interviews identified four themes: (a) caregivers’ perceptions of depression,
(b) barriers to caregivers’ focus on depression, (c) resources and opportunities for managing depression, and (d) caregivers’
perspectives on consequences of depression. Patients’ physical illnesses concealed depressive episodes.
Caregivers could not apply the label of “depression” but enumerated its indicative features. Stigmatization of depression,
common with other mental illnesses and poverty, undermined caregiving. Vital caregiving resources included
caregivers’ willingness to meet patients’ basic needs, facilitating patients’ access to health care, informal counseling
of patients, and ensuring patients’ spiritual nourishment. Caregivers’ management of depression in physically ill
patients was expensive, but they coped; however, caregiving was burdensome. Ongoing support should be given not
only to patients but caregivers, as well. To provide appropriate care, caregivers deserve sensitization about depression
in the context of physical illness.
Description
Keywords
Africa, Caregiving, Informal, Coping and adaptation, Depression, Developing countries, Life stories, Primary health care, Stress, Thematic analysis, Uganda
Citation
Muhwezi, W. W., Okello, E. S., Neema, S., & Musisi, S. (2008). Caregivers' experiences with major depression concealed by physical illness in patients recruited from central Ugandan Primary Health Care Centers. Qualitative Health Research, 18(8), 1096-1114. 10.1177/1049732308320038