Abstract

The study explored the effect of primary care giving (PCG) to mentally ill on family stability (FS) in Mathari hospital, Kenya given the fact that increasing PCG to mentally ill is gradually translating into FS. The study was based on two specific objectives: to examine the effects of Mental illness on the primary care givers and to establish the effects of the forms of PCG. Two hypotheses were tested; H1: PCG to mentally ill have a significant positive effect on FS; H2: PCG to the mentally ill has a negative effect on FS. This was a cross section study design. A sample of 260 from 800 care-givers was obtained using Krejce and Morgan table guide. Questionnaires with close ended questions were distributed to care-givers to obtain results that were later screened for accuracy and entered into SPSS (Version 22). A 25-item care-giver self-report used to assess stress levels of family caregivers for chronically ill older adult patients, with co-efficient Alpha reliability values of .7804, and .98 from two studies by Epstein-Lubow was used to measure FS. Besides, a 14-items care-giver questionnaire adopted from Life time resources was adopted to measure care-giving as approved by Benedict & Dillsboro. The effect of PCG giving to mentally ill on FS was established using paired T-test. Findings showed that; transportation, meal preparations, medication, walking assistance, walking patients and toilet services were given to the mentally ill in Kenya and several factors explained FS: taking care of their mentally ill in Kenya; balance of time, share of resources, discrimination of mentally ill people, stigma as a community and family affair, lack of privacy and too much responsibilities. The study established a positive relationship between PCG to mentally ill and FS in Kenya. Besides, ANOVA results showed a statistically positive significant effect of PH giving on FS in Kenya.