The Impact of Self-Stigma of Seeking Help on Stress Perceived by Family Caregivers of COVID-19 Patients: A Mixed Method Approach

This study aimed to assess the impact of self-stigma of seeking help (SSOSH) on the perceived stress (PS) of family caregivers of COVID-19 patients. The sample size for quantitative and qualitative phases of the study was 89 and 12 participants respectively. The participants filled a socio-demographic detail sheet and then completed self-report measures like Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) and Self-Stigma of Seeking Help (SSOSH). A semi-structured interview was conducted to understand patterns of caregiving, perceived stress, self-stigma and help-seeking among family caregivers of COVID-19 patients. Thematic analysis was conducted on the qualitative data. In the study, females reported a higher mean perceived stress whereas male participants reported a higher SSOSH score. The results indicated a significant positive correlation between SSOSH and PS. Through regression analysis, a significant impact of SSOSH on perceived stress among COVID-19 family caregivers was established. The qualitative themes point to the psychological impact, physical distress, post-COVID experiences, coping and social support systems, along with the help-seeking behaviours among them. The results from this study can be used for developing programmes to tackle caregiving stress and burnout by providing intervention on self-stigma and increasing help seeking behaviours.