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. 1999 Jul:175:56-62.
doi: 10.1192/bjp.175.1.56.

Burden experienced by care-givers of persons with bipolar affective disorder

D Perlick  1 , J F Clarkin, J Sirey, P Raue, S Greenfield, E Struening, R Rosenheck
Affiliations

Burden experienced by care-givers of persons with bipolar affective disorder

D Perlick et al. Br J Psychiatry. 1999 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Family members of patients with schizophrenia frequently report burdens associated with caring for their relatives.

Aims: We evaluate the impact of illness beliefs on the burden reported by family care-givers of people with bipolar illness.

Method: The multivariate relationships between patient symptomatology and family illness beliefs and report of burden were examined at baseline among care-givers of 266 patients with Research Diagnostic Criteria-diagnosed bipolar illness who were subsequently followed for 15 months.

Results: At baseline, 93% of care-givers reported moderate or greater distress in at least one burden domain. As a group, care-giver illness beliefs (illness awareness, perception of patient and family control) explained an additional 18-28% of variance in burden experienced beyond the effects of the patient's clinical state and history.

Conclusions: Care-givers of patients with bipolar illness report widespread burden that is influenced by beliefs about the illness.

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