Exploring the Impact of Home-Based Support on Informal Caregivers: A Qualitative Study in Hyderabad, Pakistan.

Résumé

Background An aging population in Pakistan is relying more and more on informal caregivers as organized elder care systems are hard to come by. In cities such as Hyderabad, caregiving is largely a family-oriented responsibility, and it is deeply rooted in culture and religion. Women disproportionately shoulder the burden of caregiving and experience emotional, physical, and financial distress as a result. While the global literature acknowledges caregiving as fundamental to health systems, there is scant research evidence on the experiences of caregivers in low-resource South Asian settings. This paper explores the difficulties, coping strategies, and social relations shaping informal caregiving in Hyderabad, Pakistan. Methods A qualitative explorative research design was followed. The data were collected by using semi-structured in-depth interviews from 11 family caregivers who render home-based unpaid care to an older adult or chronically ill family member. Patients were selected conveniently from the Civil Hospital, Hyderabad. The interviews were carried out in Sindhi and Urdu, transcribed verbatim into English translation, and subjected to thematic analysis. The research was ethically approved, and informed consent was obtained from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Institutional Review Board. Results Six major themes emerged from the analysis: caregiving roles, family involvement, decision-making in care, health system experiences, financial difficulties, and psychosocial effects. The caregivers, particularly women, have emotional burnout, fatigue, social isolation, and financial strain: the results say. Spouses, sons, and brothers (many of whom comprise the pool of male relatives) were more likely to have provided economic aid than volunteer assistance. Along the same line, people complained about access to care: wait times and a bad rapport with doctors. However, caregivers described moral satisfaction and a kind of emotional connection as core factors keeping them going. Conclusion Unpaid caregiving in Pakistan is a kaleidoscope of cultural coercion, gender inequality, and institutional betrayal. In addition, policy responses such as caregiver training, respite care, financial assistance, and mental health services, which have been offered to soldiers who return from war zones, have been created to alleviate the strain of caregiving and provide better outcomes for eldercare. This research provides policy-relevant information for healthcare decision-makers and contributes to the global geriatric care discussion.