Stigma towards dependent drinking and its role on caregiving burden: A qualitative study from Goa, India.

We found that stigma functioned as a barrier to a proper course of treatment and care, as well as a detrimental factor for caregiver's mental health and caregiving decision-making. Stigma towards dependent drinking in the forms of ignorance, prejudice and discrimination is prevalent within homes, workplaces and health systems and might exacerbate the caregiving burden among female family caregivers. Policies, educational programs and campaigns aimed at preventing stigma in these forms would likely enable access to more inclusive and appropriate health services, benefit the health of family caregivers and improve the treatment outcomes of drinkers.