@article{ref1,
title="Social support among veterans with serious mental illness",
journal="Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology",
year="2007",
author="Kilbourne, Amy M. and McCarthy, J. F. and Post, Edward P. and Welsh, Deborah and Blow, Frederic C.",
volume="42",
number="8",
pages="639-646",
abstract="BACKGROUND: We determined whether patients with serious mental illness were more likely to report low social support than those without serious mental illness. METHOD: We conducted a national, cross-sectional study of VA patients in Fiscal Year 1999 who were diagnosed with a serious mental illness, as well as a random sample of VA patients without a diagnosis of serious mental illness (N = 8,547) from the National Psychosis Registry who also completed the VA's Large Health Survey of Veteran Enrollees (LHSV) 9-item questionnaire on social support. Using generalized estimating equations; we assessed patient's likelihood of reporting low social support, while controlling for patient socio-economic and clinical factors. RESULTS: In multivariable models adjusting for patient factors, patients with serious mental illness were more likely to report low instrumental support, e.g., having no one to help with chores (OR = 1.41, p < 0.001) and low emotional support, e.g., having no one to relax with (OR = 2.05, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients diagnosed with serious mental illness reported low social support across different dimensions. Recovery-oriented services for persons with serious mental illness should focus on improving and sustaining emotional and instrumental supports for this vulnerable population.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0933-7954",
doi="10.1007/s00127-007-0212-1",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-007-0212-1"
}