The Relationship Between Family Knowledge Level and Family Stigma Toward Relapse of Patients with Mental Disorders

Abstract

Relapse in patients with mental disorders remains a major problem in mental health services and can affect the quality of life of patients and their families. Relapse may be influenced by various factors, including family knowledge level and family stigma toward patients with mental disorders. This study aimed to determine the relationship between family knowledge level and family stigma toward relapse of patients with mental disorders in the Working Area of Tigo Baleh Public Health Center, Bukittinggi City, in 2026. This study used a quantitative method with a cross-sectional approach. The sample consisted of 40 families of patients with mental disorders selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed using the Chi-Square test. The results showed that 72.5% of respondents had a high level of knowledge, 65.0% had high stigma, and 57.5% of patients experienced relapse. There was a significant relationship between family knowledge level and relapse of patients with mental disorders (p-value = 0.012; OR = 0.081), indicating that families with higher knowledge levels had a lower risk of relapse among patients with mental disorders. In addition, there was a significant relationship between family stigma and relapse of patients with mental disorders (p-value = 0.017; OR = 6.786), indicating that patients whose families had high stigma were 6.786 times more likely to experience relapse than those whose families had low stigma. This study concluded that family knowledge level and family stigma are associated with relapse among patients with mental disorders. Better family knowledge and lower stigma may help reduce the risk of relapse. Health professionals are expected to improve family education and reduce stigma to prevent relapse among patients with mental disorders.