title: Family burden in bipolar disorders: results from the Italian Mood Disorders Study (IMDS).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore: a) the burden of care, and the professional and social support in relatives of patients with bipolar disorders; b) the psychosocial interventions provided to patients and their families by Italian mental health centres.
  
  
  METHODS
  342 outpatients with a bipolar disorder and their key-relatives were randomly recruited in 26 Italian mental health centres, randomly selected and stratified by geographical area and population density. Family burden was explored in relation to: a) patient's clinical status and disability; b) relatives' social and professional support; c) interventions received by patients and their families; d) geographical area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the previous two months, global functioning was moderately impaired in 36% of the patients, and severely impaired in 34% of them. Twenty-one percent of patients attended a rehabilitative programme, and 3% of their families received a psychoeducational intervention. Burden was higher when patient's symptoms and disability were more severe, the relatives had poorer psychological support and help in emergencies by the social network, and the family lived in Southern Italy. Differences in family burden in relation to geographical area disappeared when psychosocial interventions were provided.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights the need to increase the availability of rehabilitative interventions for patients with bipolar disorders and of psychological support for their families, especially in Southern Italy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Naples SUN, Naples, Italy. lorenza.magliano@unina2.it
authors.forename: Lorenza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Magliano
authors.forename: Ada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orrico
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiorillo
authors.forename: Heidegret
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Del Vecchio
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castiello
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Malangone
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Rosa
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Capuano
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maj
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Torchio
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Franzoi
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pingani
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Curti
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spanarello
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scattina
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Giuseppina Robustelli
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Test
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferrigno
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Minciotti
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Innocente
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bardicchia
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: La Rovere
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maroncelli
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iapichino
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pannozzo
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nuccetelli
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Nunzio
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Armellino
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Palladino
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Delcuratolo
authors.forename: Manuella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cadoni
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cannas
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caniglia
authors.forename: Mirella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cudia
mesh_terms: D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000628:therapy; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged