Data Collection Procedures

Data collection procedures

Data were collected by interviewing caregivers of patients with severe mental illness attending in psychiatric clinic at JUSH. Two psychiatric nurses and two postgraduate students in mental health had participated in data collection.

Data collection was carried out after the questionnaires had been pretested on a sample (5% of the total sample) of caregivers of patients with severe mental illness attending service at Jimma University teaching hospital. Pretest result was not included in the main document. Data collection was supervised by bachelor degree level health officer. The supervisor monitored data quality and checked all questionnaires for completeness.

Data analysis

After double data entry, data were exported from EpiData and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS, version 20). After data were cleaned the dependent and independent variables were entered into a bivariate logistic regression analysis, one at a time, in order to estimate the strength of association using Odds Ratios (OR). All variables associated with depression in the bivariate logistic regression and variables with a p-value less than 0.25 were entered together into a multivariate logistic regression in order to control for potential confounders.

5.9.: Ethical Consideration:

Ethical clearance was obtained from the Ethical Review Committee of Jimma University College of Public Health and Medical Sciences. Official letter was written to the hospital administration. Additionally, an informed consent was obtained from each respondents and any one not willing to take part in the study will have full right.

To ensure confidentiality of respondents, their names were replaced by codes on the questionnaire. All interviews were made individually to keep privacy. Caregivers had been given psycho-education those having 5-9 score and ≥10 score who had depression by using PHQ-9 and suicide thought were informed to be seen by psychiatrist and mental health clinician in psychiatric clinic by giving small paper.

5.10: Dissemination

The findings of the study will be submitted to Jimma University, College of Public Health and Medical Sciences and the copies of papers also submitted to hospital administration of JUSH department of psychiatry and staff of psychiatry clinic and to other concerned bodies to whom recommendation will be made, The research paper will be presented in health professional organizations’ annual meetings, professional conference and training. Finally, attempt will also be made to get the findings published in peer reviewed journal. .