Experience of mental disorder in the context of basic service reforms: the impact on caregiving environments in South Africa.

The integration of mental health services into primary health care and the shift towards community- and family-based care for chronic mental disorders has been associated with increased burden on households. At the same time, research investigating the impact of policies of cost recovery for basic services such as water and electricity has also indicated an increased burden on households. This study aimed to investigate the impact of these basic service reforms on households caring for a family member with a chronic mental disorder in Cape Town, South Africa. The findings indicate that factors associated with service reforms may increase the stress and burden experienced by households and in turn impact on the primary environment in which care is received.