Caring for Home-based Mental Health Patients: Proposing Supportive Policy Implications Based on a Community-based Management Approach - the Case of Huong Dao Commune, Tam Duong District, Vinh Phuc Province

Abstract

This study aims to identify the major challenges and essential support needs of family caregivers of people with mental disorders. Building on these findings, the research proposes policy implications informed by the Community-Based Management (CBM) approach. Employing a mixed-methods design that combines a quantitative survey with 23 caregivers and in-depth interviews with 5 commune-level officials in Huong Dao Commune, Tam Duong District, Vinh Phuc Province, the study highlights caregivers as an independent target group requiring specific attention within mental health care policies. The results demonstrate that caregivers face three principal groups of challenges, including limited caregiving skills and restricted access to professional information, psychological and emotional burdens, and financial difficulties. Their expressed support needs converge around the desire for structured caregiving skills training, mental health support, and opportunities for community connection to share caregiving burdens and enhance care quality. Based on these findings, the study proposes policy implications in three key directions: promoting empowerment and community participation, strengthening intersectoral coordination in service provision, and enhancing the proactive role of local authorities in managing and developing community-based mental health care networks.

Keywords: Home-based mental health caregiving; family caregivers; community-based management; social policy.