Background: Depressive disorders place a high burden on patients and their relatives. Psychoeducational groups for relatives may reduce relatives' burden and improve the course of disease in patients. To foster the development of psychoeducational interventions which meet relatives' needs, information demands in relatives of patients with depressive disorders were examined.
Methods: A qualitative study using 3 focus groups was conducted among adult relatives of patients with depressive disorders (N=17). Discussions were audio-taped, transcribed and analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
Results: Information demands are based on information gaps, emotional burden as well as strains in everyday living and were identified with regard to illness-specific (symptoms, course and etiology), treatment-specific (treatment options and health care system) and - as central aspects - interaction-specific issues (dealing with the patient, difficulties in everyday living and relationship problems) as well as support options for relatives themselves and self-care.
Conclusions: Information brokerage within psychoeducational groups for relatives should consider the burden of relatives as well as strains in everyday living on which information demands are based. To consider interaction-specific issues, specific skills - e. g. in problemsolving - should be trained.
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