Difficulties in daily living among house-dwelling people with mental disorders: discrepancy between their perception and the assessment by their families

Abstract

For the purpose of examining the difficulties in daily living among house-dwelling people with mental disorders, a self-administered questionnaire survey was administered to 45 pairs of patients and their families living together in Oita County.The comparison between the difficulties perceived by the patients and the needs for help assessed by the corresponding families demonstrated a great discrepancy in the details of these two viewpoints. Gender difference in the discrepancy was also observed. This discrepancy can be referred to by public health nurses occupied in case management dealing with home-help service and so on for house-dwelling people with mental disorders.