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Causes and psychosocial consequences of schizophrenia: the opinions of patients' relatives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 October 2011

Lorenza Magliano ,
Andrea Fiorillo ,
Claudio Malangone ,
Manuela Guarneri ,
Cecilia Marasco ,
Mario Maja  and
Gruppo Di Lavoro
Gruppo Di Lavoro
Affiliation:
1Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Napoli SUN, Napoli
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Summary

Objective – Description of the opinions on schizophrenia and its psychosocial consequences in a sample of relatives of patients with schizophrenia, recruited in 30 Italian Mental Health Centres (MHC), stratified by geographic areas and population density. Design – Cross-sectional study on key-relatives of clinically stable patients with a DSM-FV diagnosis of schizophrenia. Evaluation of relatives' opinions on schizophrenia and its psychosocial consequences, in relation to: a) patient's clinical and family's socio-demographic variables; b) geographic areas and population density. Setting – 30 Italian MHC randomised and stratified by geographic areas (Northern, Central, Southern Italy) and population density (> 100000 inhabitants; between 100000 and 25000 inhabitants; < 25000 inhabitants). Main outcome measures – Patient's clinical status and social functioning: Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Disability Assessment interview (AD). Interventions provided to patient and his/her family: Scheda di Rilevazione degli Interventi – Pattern of Care Schedule (SRI). Relatives' opinions on schizophrenia and its psychosocial consequences: Questionnaire on the Opinions of the Family (QOF). Results – Data on 709 patients and their key-relatives were collected. Relatives' pessimistic opinions on social competence of patients with schizophrenia were found to be associated with: high levels of patient's disability, hostility and negative symptoms, relatives' knowledge of patient's diagnosis of schizophrenia, residence in a medium or low population density area, low levels of relative's education. Relatives' pessimistic opinions on social restrictions imposed by schizophrenia were found to be associated with high levels of disability and high number of hospital admissions in the patient and older age in the relative. Conclusions – The results of this study emphasise the need to: a) provide families with educational interventions covering not only clinical aspects of schizophrenia, but also those concerning disability and psychosocial consequences of the disorder; b) plan educational campaigns on mental illnesses which take into account the socio-cultural characteristics of the target populations.

Riassunto

Scopo – Descrizione delle opinioni sulla schizofrenia e le sue conseguenze psicosociali in un campione di familiari di pazienti con questa patologia reclutati in 30 Centri di Salute Mentale (CSM) stratificati per area geografica e densità di popolazione. Disegno – Studio trasversale di familiari-chiave di pazienti con diagnosi DSM-IV di schizofrenia, in fase di compenso clinico. Valutazione delle opinioni dei familiari sulla malattia mentale e gli svantaggi sociali ad essa conseguenti in relazione a: a) variabili cliniche del paziente e sociodemografiche del nucleo familiare; b) zona geografica e densità di popolazione. Setting – Lo studio è stato condotto in 30 CSM randomizzati e stratificati per area geografica (Nord, Centro, Sud) e densità di popolazione (> 100000 abitanti; tra 100000 e 25000 abitanti; < 25000 abitanti) sull'intero territorio nazionale. Principali misure utilizzate – a) stato clinico e funzionamento sociale del paziente: Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) e intervista per l'Accertamento della Disabilità (AD); b) interventi ricevuti: Scheda di Rilevazione degli Interventi (SRI); c) opinioni dei familiari sulla schizofrenia e le sue conseguenze psicosociali: questionario sulle Opinioni dei Familiari (QOF). Risultati – So-no stati raccolti i dati relativi a 709 pazienti e altrettanti familiari-chiave. Opinioni pessimistiche da parte dei familiari rispetto alia competenza sociale dei pazienti con schizofrenia sono risultate associate a: alti livelli di disabilità, sintomi negativi e ostilita nel congiunto malato, conoscenza della diagnosi di schizofrenia da parte del familiare, residenza in zone a bassa o media densita di popolazione, bassi livelli di scolarità del familiare. Opinioni pessimistiche da parte dei familiari rispetto alle limitazioni sociali imposte dalla malattia sono risultate associate a: alti livelli di disabilità ed elevato numero di ricoveri del congiunto malato, maggiore età del familiare. Conclusioni – I risultati di questo studio sottolineano la necessità di: a) fornire interventi informativi alle famiglie i quali prendano in esame non solo gli aspetti clinici della schizofrenia, ma anche quelli relativi alia disabilità e agli svantaggi sociali conseguenti a tale patologia; b) pianificare campagne di sensibilizzazione sulle malattie mentali che tengano conto del contesto socio-culturale delle fasce di popolazione a cui sono dirette.

Keywords

opinionsschizophreniafamilyopinionischizofreniafamiglia.
Type
Articles
Information
Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , June 2000 , pp. 113 - 125
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2000

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