title: Family burden and family environment: comparison between patients with panic disorder and with clinical diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to compare the family burden and environment of patients with panic disorder (PD) with those of a control group composed of relatives of patients with clinical diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was performed with 67 relatives of patients with PD, and 66 family members of patients with clinical diseases. All patients were administered a set of instruments to assess family burden and environment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate analyses revealed significant between-group differences on measurements of objective and subjective burden, both of which can be influenced by kinship, since higher levels of family burden tend to be reported by the children of the affected individual. Levels of family burden also tend to be associated with the severity of PD symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The assessment of family burden may be useful in developing family-focused therapeutic strategies and may contribute to the improvement of patient outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Anxiety Disorders Program, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Graduate Program in Medical Sciences: Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Detzel
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Wesner
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fritz
authors.forename: Cristiano Tschiedel Belem
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Elizeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heldt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: clinical diseases; family burden; family environment; panic disorder