title: A family approach to severe mental illness in post-war Kosovo.
abstract: This study describes the effects of a psychoeducational multiple-family group program for families of people with severe mental illness in post-war Kosovo that was developed by a Kosovar-American professional collaborative. The subjects were 30 families of people with severe mental illnesses living in two cities in Kosovo. All subjects participated in multiple-family groups and received family home visits. The program documented medication compliance, number of psychiatric hospitalizations, family mental health services use, and several other characteristics, for the year prior to the groups and the first year of the groups. The families attended an average of 5.5 (out of 7) groups, and 93% of these families attended four or more meetings. The uncontrolled pre- to post-intervention comparison demonstrated decreases in medication non-compliance and hospitalizations, and increases in family mental health service use. The program provided training for mental health professionals, led to policy change in the Ministry of Health, and resulted in dissemination to other community mental health centers. This study provides preliminary evidence that a collaboratively designed and implemented psychoeducational, multiple-family program is a feasible and beneficial intervention for families of people with severe mental illness in impoverished post-war settings.
authors.affiliation: International Center on Responses to Catastrophes, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 60612, USA. smweine@uic.edu
authors.forename: Stevan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weine
authors.forename: Shqipe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ukshini
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.forename: Ferid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Agani
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pulleyblank-Coffey
authors.forename: Jusuf
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ulaj
authors.forename: Corky
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Lumnije
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ajeti
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Valdete
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alidemaj-Sereqi
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Landau
authors.forename: Muharrem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asllani
authors.forename: Mabs
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mango
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pavkovic
authors.forename: Ajet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bunjaku
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rolland
authors.forename: Gentian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cala
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sargent
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saul
authors.forename: Shaip
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Makolli
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sluzki
authors.forename: Shukrije
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Statovci
authors.forename: Kaethe
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weingarten
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005196:Family Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D014857:Warfare; D015022:Yugoslavia
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents