[Expectations and satisfaction from relatives of psychiatric patients in inpatient treatment]. / Erwartungen und Zufriedenheit von Angehöringen psychiatrischer Patienten in stationärer Behandlung.

Based upon a content analysis of interviews(n=32), a questionnaire evaluating expectations and satisfaction with psychiatric inpatient care was developed and sent to all caregivers whose ill family members gave their agreement to the survey (n=1 39). The response rate was 41.7% (n=58). Successful treatment of the patient by competent physicians and psychologists, understandable and sincere explanations to caregivers regarding the patient's disease, support of the patient's self-confidence and gains in confidence, psychotherapy for the patient, and by no means psychopharmacological treatment were assessed as most important by caregivers. From their point of view, gaps between expectations and satisfaction with inpatient care exist, especially regard-ing the following aspects: patient psychotherapy, information to caregivers about therapies, medication, side effects and treatment progress, understandable and sincere explanation to care-givers, support in dealing with the patients, and information about the possibilities of rehabilitation after inpatient care.

[Burden of relatives and their expectations towards psychiatric institutions. A review of the literature and own results]. / Belastungen von Angehörigen und ihre Erwartungen an psychiatrische Institutionen. Literaturübersicht und eigene Ergebnisse.

OBJECTIVE: This article aimed to provide an overview regarding the burden of relatives of mentally ill patients and their expectations towards psychiatric institutions. METHODS: The literature was selected from Medline covering the years 1996 - 2002. 342 articles were reviewed, 145 of which were described in this review. RESULTS: The burden of relatives are manifold and can be classified into the following categories: time spent on caring, financial difficulties, occupational restrictions, detrimental effects on relatives own physical and psychological well-being, reduction in leisure activities, negative effects on social relationships, experiences of discrimination and refusal, deficiencies in information about illness, feelings of not being taken seriously, insufficient service support, long distance to mental health service, emotional burdens of caregivers and difficulties with the patients behaviour. The expectations of the relatives mainly refer to the categories "relationship between staff and relatives", "information about illness" and "establishing of institutions required". CONCLUSION: The various burdens of relatives and their expectations towards psychiatric services point to necessary improvements of mental health services in the sense of a consumer-oriented psychiatric care.

[Single sex or mixed sex treatment in the psychiatric clinic from the viewpoint of patients]. / Getrennt- oder gemischtgeschlechtliche Behandlung in der psychiatrischen Klinik aus Sicht der Patienten.

Patients in a psychiatric hospital were surveyed by questionnaire to evaluate their preferences on separate or mixed-sex treatment. The adjusted response rate was 74.5%. About 75% of the responders preferred a mixed ward and about 25% preferred a single-sex ward. Females more frequently chose the type of ward to which they had been allocated. By contrast, males were in favour of mixed wards, independently of their present type of ward. Younger patients, voluntarily admitted patients, and those with substance addiction preferred mixed-sex wards. After mixing the sexes in formerly single-sex wards, a significant increase in preference of mixed-sex wards was found, due to increased affirmation by female patients. However, about 9% of women and men preferred single-sex treatment. Two open general psychiatric wards, each with 20 beds and separating females and males, could be established in psychiatric hospitals to satisfy this preference.