PURPOSE: Further cross-cultural comparisons are needed on caregiving consequences of chronic psychotic disorders. The EPSILON study (European Psychiatric Services: Inputs Linked to Outcome Domains and Needs) involved five European countries, but not Portugal. We aimed to analyse the impact of severe mental illness in a Portuguese sample and to provide support to comparisons with some of the EPSILON results, focusing on the north-European Dutch centre. METHODS: We studied 108 caregiver-patient dyads by a consecutive sampling of people with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders in psychiatric outpatient services. Relatives' assessments included the Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire, European version (IEQ), the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12); the loss, stigma and positive aspects' subscales of the Experience of Caregiving Inventory, and the Social Network and Family Coping Questionnaires. Patients were assessed regarding symptoms, disability and global functioning. RESULTS: Caregiving rewards and negative consequences co-existed. On the IEQ, 49.1% reported negative consequences and rank order of domain scores was worrying > urging > tension > supervision. More than one-third of caregivers were psychologically distressed according to GHQ screenings. Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire scores were correlated with caregivers' distress, stigma, loss, patient's involvement and other ways of coping, and patients' variables. Some of these failed to be included in a regression model. CONCLUSIONS: Many of these Portuguese caregivers were at risk regarding burden and psychological distress. In comparison with other European samples, caregiving arrangements and assessments were typical of Mediterranean countries, as Italy or Spain. All IEQ scores were significantly higher than those in the Netherlands. On account of small numbers, caution is needed in the interpretation of associations.
PURPOSE: Further cross-cultural comparisons are needed on caregiving consequences of chronic psychotic disorders. The EPSILON study (European Psychiatric Services: Inputs Linked to Outcome Domains and Needs) involved five European countries, but not Portugal. We aimed to analyse the impact of severe mental illness in a Portuguese sample and to provide support to comparisons with some of the EPSILON results, focusing on the north-European Dutch centre. METHODS: We studied 108 caregiver-patient dyads by a consecutive sampling of people with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders in psychiatricoutpatient services. Relatives' assessments included the Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire, European version (IEQ), the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12); the loss, stigma and positive aspects' subscales of the Experience of Caregiving Inventory, and the Social Network and Family Coping Questionnaires. Patients were assessed regarding symptoms, disability and global functioning. RESULTS: Caregiving rewards and negative consequences co-existed. On the IEQ, 49.1% reported negative consequences and rank order of domain scores was worrying > urging > tension > supervision. More than one-third of caregivers were psychologically distressed according to GHQ screenings. Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire scores were correlated with caregivers' distress, stigma, loss, patient's involvement and other ways of coping, and patients' variables. Some of these failed to be included in a regression model. CONCLUSIONS: Many of these Portuguese caregivers were at risk regarding burden and psychological distress. In comparison with other European samples, caregiving arrangements and assessments were typical of Mediterranean countries, as Italy or Spain. All IEQ scores were significantly higher than those in the Netherlands. On account of small numbers, caution is needed in the interpretation of associations.
Authors: L Magliano; G Fadden; M Madianos; J M de Almeida; T Held; M Guarneri; C Marasco; P Tosini; M Maj Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 1998-09 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: L Magliano; G Fadden; M Economou; T Held; M Xavier; M Guarneri; C Malangone; C Marasco; M Maj Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2000-03 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: G I Szmukler; P Burgess; H Herrman; A Benson; S Colusa; S Bloch Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 1996-06 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Manuel Gonçalves-Pereira; Isabel Carmo; Joaquim Alves da Silva; Ana L Papoila; Raimundo Mateos; Steven H Zarit Journal: Int Psychogeriatr Date: 2009-11-06 Impact factor: 3.878
Authors: Bob van Wijngaarden; Aart Schene; Maarten Koeter; Thomas Becker; Martin Knapp; Helle Charlotte Knudsen; Michele Tansella; Graham Thornicroft; José-Luis Vázquez-Barquero; Antonio Lasalvia; Morven Leese Journal: Schizophr Bull Date: 2003 Impact factor: 9.306
Authors: Manuel Gonçalves-Pereira; Bob van Wijngaarden; Miguel Xavier; Ana L Papoila; José M Caldas-de-Almeida; Aart H Schene Journal: Ann Gen Psychiatry Date: 2012-03-28 Impact factor: 3.455
Authors: Alejandra Caqueo-Urízar; Mar Rus-Calafell; Thomas K J Craig; Matias Irarrazaval; Alfonso Urzúa; Laurent Boyer; David R Williams Journal: Curr Psychiatry Rep Date: 2017-01 Impact factor: 5.285
Authors: Diana Rofail; Catherine Acquadro; Cécile Izquierdo; Antoine Regnault; Steven H Zarit Journal: Health Qual Life Outcomes Date: 2015-06-09 Impact factor: 3.186
Authors: Manuel Gonçalves-Pereira; Eduardo González-Fraile; Borja Santos-Zorrozúa; Manuel Martín-Carrasco; Paola Fernández-Catalina; Ana I Domínguez-Panchón; Paula Muñoz-Hermoso; Javier Ballesteros Journal: Health Qual Life Outcomes Date: 2017-04-05 Impact factor: 3.186
Authors: Claudia Carmassi; Claudia Foghi; Valerio Dell'Oste; Carlo Antonio Bertelloni; Andrea Fiorillo; Liliana Dell'Osso Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-08-13 Impact factor: 3.390