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Efficacy of a psychoeducational intervention in improving relatives’ knowledge about schizophrenia and reducing rehospitalisation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

E. Cassidy ,
S. Hill  and
E. O’Callaghan
E. Cassidy
Affiliation:
Dept of Adult Psychiatry, Hospitaller Order of St John of God, Dublin, Ireland
S. Hill
Affiliation:
Dept of Adult Psychiatry, Hospitaller Order of St John of God, Dublin, Ireland
E. O’Callaghan*
Affiliation:
Dept of Adult Psychiatry, Hospitaller Order of St John of God, Dublin, Ireland
*
*Correspondence and reprints: Cluain Mhuire Family Centre, Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin, Ireland.
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Summary

We sought to establish if a brief psychoeducational intervention for relatives is effective in improving relatives’ knowledge about schizophrenia and reducing rehospitalization. We evaluated 101 relatives of 55 patients with schizophrenia before and after an 8-week psychoeducational group using a self-report method. We also conducted a matched case-control study of the effects on rehospitalisation for 28 of these patients. We calculated the number of hospital days for each index case and control in the 1 and 2 years before and after the intervention.

Relatives made significant gains in their knowledge about schizophrenia, particularly about medication. Patients whose relatives attended the group had significantly fewer days in hospital and days per admission compared to controls in the year after the programme but the effect waned in the second year after the intervention. Controls were almost four times more likely to be readmitted at 2 years than cases. Median time to readmission was significantly longer in cases compared to controls. We conclude that a psychoeducational group, which is valued by carers, is effective in increasing their knowledge about schizophrenia as well as reducing and forestalling the rehospitalization of their affected relatives. Such programmes deliver what carers frequently request in a cost-effective manner.

Keywords

admissionscarerscosteducationschizophrenia
Type
Original Articles
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 16 , Issue 8 , December 2001 , pp. 446 - 450
Copyright
Copyright © 2001 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS

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