Health-care needs of remitted patients with bipolar disorder: A comparison with schizophrenia.

AIM: To investigate health-care needs and their correlates among patients with remitted bipolar disorder (BD) compared to patients with remitted schizophrenia.

METHODS: Outpatients with BD (n = 150) and schizophrenia (n = 75) meeting clearly defined remission criteria were included in the study along with their relatives. Diagnostic ascertainment was carried out using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Demographic and clinical details were recorded using structured formats. Residual symptoms were assessed using standardized scales. Health-care needs were assessed on two separate scales. The principal instrument employed to assess health-care needs was the Camberwell Assessment of Need-Research version (CAN-R). To further evaluate health-care needs we felt that an additional instrument, which was more relevant for Indian patients and treatment-settings and designed to cover those areas of needs not specifically covered by the CAN-R was required. This instrument with a structure and scoring pattern similar to the CAN-R was used for additional evaluation of needs. Patients' level of functioning was assessed using the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale and their quality of life (QOL) using the World Health Organization Quality Of Life-BREF version in Hindi.

RESULTS: An average of 6-7 needs was reported by patients with BD as well as their relatives. Commonly reported needs were in the areas of economic and welfare needs, informational needs, social needs and the need for treatment. According to the CAN-R, both patients and relatives reported that more than 60% of the total needs were being met. However, over 90% of the needs covered by the additional evaluation were unmet according to patients and relatives. Needs in the areas of economic and welfare-benefits, information, company, daytime activities and physical health-care were largely unmet according to patients and relatives. Total, met and unmet needs were significantly higher for schizophrenia, but the most common types of needs were quite similar to BD. Relatives reported more needs than patients with certain differences in the types of needs reported. Level of patients' functioning was the principal correlate of greater total and unmet needs in both groups. Significant associations were also obtained with residual symptoms and QOL.

CONCLUSION: The presence of unmet needs in remitted patients with BD was an additional marker of the enduring psychosocial impairment characteristic of the remitted phase of BD.