The increased abscondment of Mental Health Care Users from institutions of care, treatment and rehabilitation has prompted the researcher to conduct the study because patients who are not visited do not stand a chance of getting a Leave Of Absence (LOA). Problem: The concern is the danger of assault, murder, rape and other high risk situations the mentally ill individuals and the community are exposed to, which is caused by frequent abscondment of mentally unstable individuals who roam around the community without proper treatment and care. This is caused by failure of the relatives in coming to request patients for leave of absence (LOA). Purpose: The study investigated the effects of mental illness on relationships amongst families with the mentally ill members. The number or frequency of visitations by relatives to the mental health institutions is used by the researcher, to measure the nature of relationships between families and the psychiatric patients related to them. Method: The population comprised families of the mentally ill persons admitted at Cecilia Makiwane mental health units. The sample was collected conveniently as relatives came to visit the mentally ill until the desired number was reached. The designed tool was a questionnaire which was self administered. Data were analysed manually. Tables and graphs are shown in the results. Conclusion and Recommendations: The study revealed that approximately 100% of respondents had a lack of knowledge about mental illness and the mentally ill, in terms of care, treatment and rehabilitation hence they all need assistance in dealing with the mentally ill in the community. Findings also revealed that mental illness causes breakdown in family relationships. Recommendations regarding the enhancement of relationships between families and their mentally ill members are formulated as coping skills in the dissertation. The burden of having to deal with mentally ill person whose illness is not understood can lead the family to a state of confusion and iv not knowing what to anticipate. Lack of resources compounds the problem as the family members are not able to visit the ill member due to lack of funds (Baumann, 2007:637). The families with a mentally ill member usually shoulder the greatest part of the burden of mental illness (Uys and Middleton, 2004:77); unfortunately, lack of resources pose a problem.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ufh/vital:11901 |
| Date | January 2009 |
| Creators | Magadla, Mfanisi Welcome |
| Publisher | University of Fort Hare, Faculty of Science & Agriculture |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Masters, MSc (Nursing Science) |
| Format | 58 leaves; 30 cm, pdf |
| Rights | University of Fort Hare |
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