title: Perceptions of problems in people hospitalized for bipolar disorder: implications for patient education.
abstract: This study explored the perceptions of people hospitalized for bipolar disorder in regard to their difficulties in functioning and the most important problem with which they would like the hospital's help. One-hundred-twenty-two patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder completed the Behavior and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS-32) at the beginning of their hospitalization. The relationships between subjective distress (measured by the BASIS-32 scores) and background characteristics were examined. In addition, participants' perceptions of their most important problems were coded as (1) psychiatric problems, (2) social or physical problems, or (3) no problems, and examined with respect to background characteristics. Race, admission status, and a secondary diagnosis of a substance use disorder were significantly related to overall subjective distress; a substance use disorder diagnosis was significantly related to all five BASIS subscale scores. No background variable was significantly related to the problems with which participants reported wanting the hospital's help, although admission status and race were of borderline significance.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Texas-Houston (UT-H) Health Science Center and UT-H Harris County Psychiatric Center, 1100 Holcombe Boulevard, 5.540, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Pollack
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Cramer
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012380:Role; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires