title: Despite clinical differences, bipolar disorder patients from acute wards and outpatient clinics have similar educational and disability levels compared to the general population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aims of this study were to compare clinical characteristics and educational and occupational functioning in two Bipolar Disorder (BD) samples recruited respectively from acutely admitted inpatients and public outpatient clinics and to investigate if the two BD samples differed in the same way in education and work ability from the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  DSM-IV BD patients were consecutively recruited from acute wards throughout Norway (N=252; 69.8% BD I; 25.0% BD II; 5.2% BD NOS) and from outpatient clinics in the Oslo region (N=230; 60.4% BD I; 33.5% BD II; 6.1% BD NOS) and demographic and clinical characteristics were compared. A reference sample from the general population (N=100 869) was used to compare levels of education, marital status and disability benefits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The acute ward sample was older, and had more men, more BD I disorder, more hospitalisations and suicide attempts, longer illness duration, an earlier age of onset and first treatment and used a higher number of antipsychotics, anticonvulsants and lithium than the outpatient sample. Both samples were educated to the same level as their respective reference populations, but received disability benefit and were single to a higher but similar degree.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical differences between the BD samples had no consequence for educational achievement and receipt of disability benefit compared to the general population indicating that other factors than severity of illness play a role for education and work abilities in BD patients.
authors: Moodnet Research Group, Psychiatric Division, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway. hsc@sus.no
authors: Helle K
authors: HK
authors: Schoeyen
authors: Arne E
authors: AE
authors: Vaaler
authors: Bjoern H
authors: BH
authors: Auestad
authors: Ulrik F
authors: UF
authors: Malt
authors: Ingrid
authors: I
authors: Melle
authors: Ole A
authors: OA
authors: Andreassen
authors: Gunnar
authors: G
authors: Morken
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012016:Reference Values; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012943:Social Security / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs