Need for micro-finance self-help groups among women family caregivers of persons with mental disability in rural India
| Date | 12 February 2018 |
| Published date | 12 February 2018 |
| Pages | 34-45 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-10-2017-0039 |
| Author | Sreekanth Nair,Aarti Jagannathan,Suresh Kudumallige,Channaveerachari Naveen Kumar,Jagadisha Thirthalli |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
Need for micro-finance self-help groups
among women family caregivers of
persons with mental disability in rural India
Sreekanth Nair, Aarti Jagannathan, Suresh Kudumallige, Channaveerachari Naveen Kumar
and Jagadisha Thirthalli
Abstract
Purpose –Micro-finance self-help groups empower caregivers to indulge in productive activities based on
the local availability of resources to reduce their financial burden. The purpose of this paper is to assess the
need for and feasibility of initiating micro-finance groups for the caregivers of persons with mental disability in
a rural socio-economically backward community of Karnataka, India.
Design/methodology/approach –The design of the study was a cross-sectional survey, with mixed
methodology design out of the eight localities where the Mental Health Public Health Centres (PHC) were
running successfully in Konandur area, Thirthahalli Taluk, Karnataka, one PHC was selected using simple
Random Sampling Design and a 5 kms radius from Konandur town was selected as the area of the survey
(190 households). During door-to-door survey, if the family indicated that a particular member is mentally
unwell, the GHQ-5 and Symptoms and Others checklist were administered on him/her and the women
caregiver was interviewed using qualitative needs assessment schedule and Perceived Social Support Scale.
Findings –Ten persons/households with mental illness (5.26 per cent) were identified in the community.
Themes of financialneeds, capacity of the caregiver,community resources,need for the microfinance self-help
groups, informational needs, socialsupport, burn out, and stigmaelicited in the interviewwere depicted in the
form of a conceptual framework to understand the inter-connectednessbetween the various themes.
Research limitations/implications –This study is the first initiative in the field of micro-finance self-help
groups for the persons with mental illness and families. The design of the study was a cross-sectionalsurvey,
which is found globally to be the most suited in conducting prevalence studies, as it provides accurate results
for future studies as well as it is the first step to obtain accurate baseline values to later plan a prospective
follow up study. The study used mixed methodology design. Though the sample size was small, the
information collected from the participants in qualitative and quantitative method was triangulated and
conceptual frameworks were developed. As this study is one of the first of its kind in the country, the results of
this study from the stated sample can be considered as an important pilot for future longitudinal and cross-
sectional studies to be planned in the community.
Originality/value –There is hardly any scientific literaturewhich talks about the need for Micro-finance self-help
groups for Persons with Disability,especially with person with mental disability. In order to initiate any Micro-finance
SHG activities, it is essential to first undertake the need for and feasibility of initiating such micro-finance group
activities in any given area. This study will be an important milestone in initiating any self-help group activity for
caregivers of persons with mental disability, as it would help us understand the financialneeds of the community,
based on which a draft proposal to initiate micro-finance self-help group activities can be drawn up.
Keywords Caregivers, Cross-sectional survey, Mental disability, Microfinance self-help groups,
Rural community
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Families of persons with mental illness play a crucial role in the recovery and after care of the
patient. The long-term nature of the illness and disability causes (Muraliand Oyebode, 2004;
Patel and Kleinman, 2003; Saunders, 2007) finance instability and disruption of family leisure
Ethical Standards: All persons
gave their informed consent prior
to their inclusion in the study.
Details that might disclose the
identity of the subjects under study
should be omitted.
Conflict of Interest: The authors
declare that they have no conflict
of interest.
The researchers would like to
thank the people of Thirthahalli
community, community mental
health Team, Asha workers and
Public Health Centre team of
Konanduru for their support.
Sreekanth Nair is a PhD
Scholar at the Department of
Psychiatric Social Work,
National Institute of Mental
Health and Neurosciences,
Bangalore, India.
Aarti Jagannathan is an
Assistant Professor at the
National Institute of Mental
Health and Neurosciences,
Bangalore, India.
Suresh Kudumallige is based at
the Shivamogga Institute of
Medical Sciences,
Shimoga, India.
Channaveerachari Naveen
Kumar is an Additional
Professor of Psychiatry at the
National Institute of Mental
Health and Neurosciences,
Bangalore, India.
Jagadisha Thirthalli is a
Professor of Psychiatry at the
National Institute of Mental
Health and Neurosciences,
Bangalore, India.
PAG E 34
j
MENTALHEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
VOL. 22 NO. 1 2018, pp. 34-45, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308 DOI 10.1108/MHSI-10-2017-0039
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