Relatives of patients with severe psychotic disorders: factors that influence contact frequency. Report from the UK700 trial.
BACKGROUND
The isolation experienced by many patients with severe psychotic disorders is generally assumed to be due to their social withdrawal. An alternative possibility is that relatives avoid frequent contact with patients because they find the situation distressing.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the predictors of frequent patient-relative contact, in particular the role of relatives' experience.


METHODS
UK700 trial data were used to determine baseline predictors of frequent contact and establish whether relatives' experience at baseline predicted continued frequent contact 2 years later.


RESULTS
Neither characteristics associated in the literature with relatives' 'burden' nor relatives' experience predicted patient-relative contact frequency. Instead, the predictors were mainly demographic.


CONCLUSIONS
Many relatives experience considerable distress, but the evidence does not suggest that they avoid frequent contact with the patient as a consequence.
Harvey
K
K
Community Psychiatry, St George's Hospital Medical School, London.
Burns
T
T
Sedgwick
P
P
Higgitt
A
A
Creed
F
F
Fahy
T
T
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015984:Causality; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D012934:Social Isolation