| SYMPOSIUM (THEME SECTION: CAREGIVING AND CAREGIVERS) |
|
| Year : 2016 | Volume
: 32
| Issue : 1 | Page : 25-27 |
|
|
Cross-cultural differences in caregiving: The relevance to community care in India
Mohan Isaac
School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, Community, Culture and Mental Health Unit, Fremantle Hospital, The University of Western Australia, Crawley WA, Australia
Correspondence Address:
Prof. Mohan Isaac
School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, Community, Culture and Mental Health Unit, Fremantle Hospital, The University of Western Australia (M704), 35, Stirling Highway, CRAWLEY WA 6009
Australia
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0971-9962.176763
|
|
|
Deinstitutionalization movement in the West brought about community care movement of mentally ill. Because of this, caring for the mentally ill became an important aspect. In resource-rich countries, caregiving is done by trained persons and in resource-poor country (like India), caregiving was done by untrained family members. Cross-cultural factors such as interdependence and greater family involvement in care have contributed for family members' decision-making in caregiving in India. Nevertheless, cross-cultural similarities in caregiving are more striking than differences. Genuine caregiving of mentally ill will make significant difference to the recipient. In India, majority of the persons with mental illness are cared by family members. Family members lack knowledge about the nature of the illness, have little support and advice by the medical professional, and have difficulties in understanding illness-related behavior. Hence, in India, there is need to develop effective, user-friendly, educational modules in all languages; to increase the knowledge of the carers about the mental illness, and help in decreasing their distress. |
|
|
|
| [FULL TEXT] [PDF]* |
|
 |
|
