An observational study in Depression, Anxiety and Trauma, sponsored by Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia. Completed at 1 site in Zambia. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-12.
Sponsored by Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia · Observational
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Mental health problems such as depression, trauma and anxiety are common in low-resource contexts, such as Zambia. Comorbidity, or having multiple mental health problems, is the norm. Family or friends often care for these individuals in the home. Providing care often leads to disrupted social life, financial hardships and emotional stress. Extant research shows mental health concerns were exacerbated by COVID-19, however, very little is known about the experiences of family caregivers in Zambia during the COVID-19 pandemic. This project aims to describe the lived experiences of family caregivers, including challenges, self-directed coping skills, and access to services and resources.
Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, trauma, substance and alcohol use are common and a primary driver of disease burden globally. In Zambia, the prevalence of mental health problems is an estimated 20%. Mental health comorbidity, which is the occurrence of multiple mental health problems at the same time, is more common among impoverished communities. Over 60% of Zambians are classified as poor, a population particularly at-risk for the most severe and lifelong mental health conditions. Common risk factors for mental health comorbidities include domestic violence and stress, grief and loss, infections such as malaria, HIV and syphilis, and poverty which limits access to care and basic needs such as clean water, electricity and proper housing.
Individuals with mental health comorbidities in low resource settings are often cared for by family caregivers. Family caregivers opt to care for their relatives from home due to the stigma associated with having a relative hospitalized in a mental health facility. Further, limited healthcare resources and knowledge of mental health comorbidities make home-based care more accessible. While caring for an individual with mental health comorbidities can be a positive and rewarding experience, it can also lead to the caregiver experiencing disruptions in their social life, increased financial costs, reduced self-care, and other adverse emotional responses such as self-blame, burnout, anxiety and sadness. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the severity and frequency of mental health comorbidities, increasing burden and psychological reactions among caregivers, and in turn, impacting their ability to provide care. In addition, existing evidence suggests these psychological reactions impact adherence to public health measures that reduce risk of infection, sickness and death. Few studies have explored the perspectives of recipients of caregiver-provided mental health care, caregivers, and mental health experts on how best to care for individuals with pre-existing mental health comorbidities during the pandemic. Together, these key perspectives can provide deeper insights on how to increase access to services and resources for caregivers, coping skills, and inform future development of policy guidelines.
Aim This project aims to describe the lived experiences of family caregivers, including challenges, self-directed coping skills, and access to services and resources.
Research questions
8,582 studies on the registry are indexed under Depression; 1,723 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 30 is below the median of 175 across 1,259 observational studies indexed under Depression.
Browse Depression studies →Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia is the lead sponsor of 41 studies on the registry; 5 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
The population for this study will be comprised of 1) caregivers that have provided unpaid mental health care to a relative with mental health comorbidities during the pandemic, 2) individuals aged 15 and above with mental health comorbidities that have received care from family caregivers during the pandemic, and 3) mental health experts that provide professional care for mental health comorbidities
Mental health experts Inclusion criteria
a. Did not interact with family caregivers extensively
Family caregivers Inclusion criteria
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Care-recipients Inclusion criteria
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Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Identification of meaning units
Determine caregiver experiences that are meaningful using semi-structured interview guides
Time frame: Single time point
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Ran from Jul 2023 to primary completion in May 2024, 10 months.
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This study is completed, as verified in Aug 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia