Factors associated with relapse among mentally ill patients at intermediate hospital Oshakati, Oshana Region, Namibia
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Date
2023
Authors
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Publisher
University of Namibia
Abstract
Many patients suffering from mental illness receive treatment as outpatients, with their caregiver’s taking responsibility for their continuing care. Relapse due to mental illness has an impact on societal costs and many of these patients experience relapse throughout their life. The purpose of this study was to determine factors associated with relapse among mentally ill patients according to the patients and their caregivers’ views at Intermediate Hospital Oshakati, Oshana Region, Namibia. This study employed a quantitative, cross sectional and analytical design to determine these factors. Data from caregivers were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and researcher administered questionnaire was used for patients. Respondents were recruited from the Outpatient Department at Oshakati Psychiatric Unit. A total of 396 respondents were sampled in the study by means of simple random sampling. Based on the information given by respondents, SPSS software was employed to summarise, evaluate, and analyse numerical information. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify the greatest predictors for relapse on mentally ill patients at IHO. The dependent variable (relapse) and independent variables (factors) were entered into bivariate logistic regression to determine statistical association between these variables. Findings revealed that non-adherence to medication due to side effects, and the non-availability of medicines at rural areas makes it costly to travel, thereby leading to relapse. Substance use and lack of health education were found to be associated with relapse by both respondents group. The results show a strong correlation between stressful life events and relapse. Visual hallucination, inability to sleep were found to have an association with mental illness relapse (OR 2.94, 0.03 and OR, 0.22, p=0.00 respectively). Based on these findings, recommendations were made as follows: proper health education, home visits and provision of atypical antipsychotic.
Description
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Nursing Science
Keywords
Mental illness, Intermediate Hospital Oshakati, Societal costs