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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 2/2010

01-02-2010 | Original Paper

Illness-related components for the family burden of relatives to patients with psychotic illness

Authors: Fredrik Hjärthag, Lars Helldin, Ulla Karilampi, Torsten Norlander

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 2/2010

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Abstract

Background

Previous research has shown that symptom severity often implies an increased family burden. Few other illness-related variables have, however, been investigated in this context. This study investigates how family burden is affected by symptom, function, and cognition, as well as how the patient perceives his/her illness and quality of life.

Method

A total of 99 relatives, to as many patients diagnosed with psychosis and with their illness at a stable level, participated in this study. The relatives estimated their perceived burden, the patients rated the distress caused by their illness as well as the quality of their lives, and the care staff rated the patients’ symptom and function as well as tested their cognitive abilities.

Results

Increased family burden can be tied to the patients’ increased symptom severity, to their impaired functioning as well as to the patients’ higher self ratings regarding distress. The family burden is also connected to the patient’s reduced working memory and reduced executive functioning, but this connection is not totally clear and should be further investigated. Of the variables that the patients were rated on, it was the overall functional ability measured with GAF that had the single most impact on perceived family burden.

Conclusions

Controlling of illness-related variables, such as symptoms, impaired functioning, impaired working memory and executive functioning, as well as the patients’ own experiences of distress, is important in order to lessen the burden for the relatives. All aspects of family burden are, however, not explained by these factors, which is why further research within this realm is required.
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Metadata
Title
Illness-related components for the family burden of relatives to patients with psychotic illness
Authors
Fredrik Hjärthag
Lars Helldin
Ulla Karilampi
Torsten Norlander
Publication date
01-02-2010
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 2/2010
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-009-0065-x

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