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Family burden in schizophrenia: effects of socio-environmental and clinical variables and family intervention

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 October 2011

Lorenza Magliano*
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Napoli SUN
Andrea Fiorillo
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Napoli SUN
Claudio Malangone
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Napoli SUN
Adriano Aletti
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Salute Mentale di Cremona
Giosue Belotti
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Salute Mentale di Zogno (BG)
Paola Bevilacqua
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Salute Mentale di Cortona (Arezzo)
Anna Luisa Delle Femine
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Salute Mentale di Salerno
Gianmichele Fontana
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Salute Mentale di S. Vito al Tagliamento (Pordenone)
Francesca Maucioni
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Salute Mentale di Polla (Salerno)
Michele Travi
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Salute Mentale di Arezzo
Paola Zanus
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Salute Mentale di Trieste
Andrea Rossi
Affiliation:
Eli-Lilly Italia, Firenze
Mario Maj
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Napoli SUN
*
Indirizzo per la corrispondenza: Dr.ssa L. Magliano, Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Napoli SUN, Largo Madonna delle Grazie, 80138 Napoli. Fax +39 — 081-566.6523. E-mail: [email protected]

Summary

Objective Description of burden, attitudes and received professional support in a sample of relatives of patients with schizophrenia, recruited in 8 Italian Mental Health Sservices (MHS), stratified by geographic areas and population density.Design - Cross-sectional study on key-relatives of clinically stable patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia. Evaluation of: a) relationships of family burden with patient's clinical characteristics, family's sociodempgraphic variables, relative's attitudes toward the patient, professional and social support received by the family; b) differences in the levels of burden, attitudes and support received by the family with respect to geographical area and population density.Setting - 8 Italian MHS stratified by geographic areas (Northern, Central, Southern Italy) and population density (urban vs. rural areas).Main outcome measures - Patient's clinical status and social functioning: BPRS and ADC. Family burden, attitudes and support received by the family: FPQ.Results - Data on 144 patients and their key-relatives were collected. Higher levels of burden were found among relatives referring to Southern MHS. The burden was found positively correlated with the levels of patients' BPRS positive and manic/hostility symptoms and disability, and with the number of daily hours spent by the relative in contact with the patient, and negatively correlated with the levels of professional support received by the family. Conclusions - The results of this study highlight the need to provide rehabilitative programmes for patients with schizophrenia as well as informative and psychoeducational interventions for their families.

Riassunto

Scopo - Descrizione del carico, degli atteggiamenti e degli interventi ricevuti da un campione di familiari di pazienti con schizofrenia reclutati in otto DSM stratificati per area geografica e per densità di popolazione. Disegno - Studio trasversale di familiari-chiave di pazienti con diagnosi DSM-IV di schizofrenia in fase di compenso clinico. Valutazione delle: a) relazioni tra carico e caratteristiche cliniche del paziente, socio-demografiche del nucleo familiare, atteggiamenti del familiare nei confronti del paziente, sostegno professionale e sociale ricevuto dalla famiglia; b) differenze nei carico, negli atteggiamenti e nell'aiuto professionale in relazione all'area geografica e alia densità di popolazione. Setting - 8 DSM stratificati per area geografica (Nord, Centro, Sud) e densità di popolazione (urbana vs. rurale).Principali misure - a) dello stato clinico e del funzionamento sociale del paziente: BPRS e ADC; b) del carico, degli atteggiamenti e del sostegno ricevuto: QPF.Risultati - Sono stati raccolti dati relativi a 144 pazienti con schizofrenia e altrettanti familiari. Il carico è risultato correlato positivamente con i livelli di disabilita e di sintomi BPRS positivi e di mania/ostilita, e con il numero di ore trascorse dal familiare a contatto quotidiano col paziente, e negativamente con il livello di aiuto professionale ricevuto dalla famiglia. Il carico è risultato maggiore tra i familiari reclutati nei due centri meridionaii. Gli interventi offerti ai familiari dei pazienti sono piu frequenti e differenziati al Nord e al Centro rispetto al Sud. Solo una minima parte dei familiari ha ricevuto interventi psicoeducativi.Conclusioni - 1 risultati di questo studio sottolineano la necessita di assicurare un'assistenza psichiatrica integrata per i pazienti con schizofrenia che comprenda sia programmi riabilitativi per gli utenti sia interventi informativi e psicoeducativi per le loro famiglie.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

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