Psychological Distress and Coping Mechanisms among Families of Patients with Chronic Illnesses Attending Divisional Headquarters Teaching Hospital Mirpur AJK: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Chronic illnesses impose deep emotional, financial, and social demands not only on patients but also on their families, who often serve as primary caregivers. Despite their critical role, caregivers’ psychological well-being remains underexplored in Pakistan, particularly in semi-urban regions such as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). This cross-sectional study assessed psychological distress and coping mechanisms among family caregivers of patients with chronic illnesses attending the Divisional Headquarters Teaching Hospital, Mirpur. A cross-sectional study was conducted using consecutive sampling. A total of 410 caregivers were enrolled. Psychological distress was measured with the Kessler-10 (K10), while coping strategies were evaluated through the Brief COPE Inventory. Data was analyzed in spss version 26. More than half of the participants (56.3%) experienced clinically significant distress, with 33.2% in the severe category. Independent predictors of moderate-to-severe distress includes female gender (AOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2–3.1), monthly household income <PKR 40,000 (AOR 2.3, 95% CI 1.4–3.7), and caregiving duration exceeding 12 months (AOR 2.6, 95% CI 1.5–4.2). Coping responses were predominantly adaptive, with religious coping (88%), seeking emotional support (73%), and acceptance (70.5%) most frequently reported, while maladaptive strategies such as denial (21.7%) and substance use (7%) were less common. Findings highlight that caregivers in AJK are a vulnerable yet neglected population, and their psychological health must be integrated into chronic illness management through culturally sensitive interventions, psychosocial support, and financial assistance programs.