Title
Exploring caregiver burden and coping responses in severe mental illness in rural India
Authors
M.R Murali1, K.J. Shashank 2, V.Anuradha3,*, Heena Dixit Tiwari4, Abhimanyu Singh5, Rahul Tiwari6 & Afroz Kalmee Syed7
Affiliation
1Department of Psychiatry, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysore, Karnataka, India; 2Department of Community Medicine, Chikkamagaluru Institute of Medical Sciences, Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka, India; 3Department of Business Management, UCCBM Mahatma Gandhi University Nalgonda, Telangana, India; 4Blood Cell, Commissionerate of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Telangana, Hyderabad, India; 5Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, BBD College of Dental Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India; 6Department of Dental Research Cell, Dr. D. Y. PatiVidyapeethollege & Hospital, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Pimpri, Pune, India; 7Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Writing and Publications, Tenali andhra Pradesh, India; *Corresponding author
M.R. Murali - E-mail: dr.murali09@gmail.com
K.J. Shashank - Email: shashank.kj@gmail.com
V Anuradaha- Email: vanapatlaanu@gmail.com
Heena Dixit Tiwari - Email: drheenatiwari@gmail.com
Abhimanyu Singh - Email: abhimanyusingh.2405@gmail.com
Rahul Tiwari - Email: drrahulvctiwari@gmail.com
Afroz Kalmee Syed - Email: afrozsyed05@gmail.com
Article Type
Research Article
Date
Received January 1, 2026; Revised January 31, 2026; Accepted January 31, 2026, Published January 31, 2026
Abstract
Caregiver burden among families supporting individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) in rural India remains inadequately explored despite its critical influence on treatment adherence and family well-being. Severe mental illness imposes substantial psychological, social and economic strain on caregivers living in resource-limited rural settings. Therefore, it is of interest to explore the lived experiences, perceived burden and coping responses among primary caregivers of individuals with SMI in rural India. A qualitative descriptive design was adopted and in-depth interviews were conducted with caregivers recruited from three rural primary health-care catchment areas. Thematic analysis revealed multidimensional caregiver burden characterized by emotional exhaustion, financial hardship, disrupted family routines, social isolation and stigma. Coping responses ranged from problem focused strategies such as information-seeking and structured caregiving routines to emotion-focused and faith-based practices. Participants consistently reported unmet needs for psychoeducation, accessible mental-health services and respite support. Thus, we show the necessity of integrating caregiver-centred interventions, community-based psychoeducation and strengthened rural mental health outreach services to reduce caregiver burden and improve continuity of care for individuals with SMI.
Keywords
Caregivers; mental disorders; rural health; adaptation, psychological; qualitative research
Citation
Murali et al. Bioinformation 22(1): 397-400 (2026)
Edited by
Rashmi Laddha
ISSN
0973-2063
Publisher
License
This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. This is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.
