ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Assess psycho-social outcomes in a rural cohort of patients with bipolar-I disorder (BD). METHODS: Detailed evaluations were performed using the Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation (LIFE) assessments of community-based BD patients in southern India. Several subjective and objective outcome measures were examined. RESULTS: Only half the cohort could be described as having a good overall outcome, with persistent difficulties in inter-personal relationships in a substantial proportion of patients. Separation or divorce, or co-morbid alcohol dependence impacted a higher proportion of female patients compared to males. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of the small cohort size, this longitudinal study indicates mixed outcomes for BD patients in this setting, with several patients showing enduring psycho-social and global impairments. Even though symptomatic recovery for BD patients might be better in developing countries compared to those observed in developed nations, the notion of better psycho-social outcomes for BD in developing countries needs closer re-examination in larger cohorts.
