[The effects of family interventions for the patients with mental illness in health centers focusing on the relatives' own life].

Recently, the burden on relatives of patients with mental illness has been recognized and the need for support to reduce such burden has increased. In Japan, family interventions have been conducted at Health Centers, most of them focusing on the family functioning as a caregiver. However, it is also important to focus on the relative's functioning to live their own life in family interventions. In this study, we executed a program focusing on relatives' life and health, and investigated the effects of this program on both family functioning. Family intervention programs were conducted at 10 Health Centers including both urban and rural areas in Japan. A total of 102 relatives responded to the self-administered questionnaire at the first and the last session of the family interventions. We measured functioning as a caregiver using the Support for the Disabled Score and Rejective Feeling Score, and functioning to live their own life by GHQ Distress in Daily life Score, Perceived Health Condition Score and Life Satisfaction Score. During interventions, GHQ score and Distress in Daily Life score which indicate the disfunction in living their own life decreased, and Support score increased in all sample. In the short-term illness group (n = 35), only the GHQ score decreased, while in long-term illness group (n = 44) Distress score decreased and Support Score increased. The intervention program focusing on relatives' life and health may improve both family functionings to give adequate care for patients, and to live their own daily life. Results suggested that the short-term illness group requires more intensive and personal advices, and the long-term illness group need continuous support focusing on the relative's own life. Expected roles of Health Centers are cooperation with family interventions provided at hospitals and coordination of the services in the community, as well as providing family interventions in terms of relatives' life.