Assessment of the Burden of Disease Among Inpatients in Specialized Units That Provide Psychotherapy

The burden of disease of 1,651 inpatients in the Netherlands who had complex personality problems and personality disorders and who were treated in specialized units that provide psychotherapy was compared with the burden of disease of patients with other mental and physical conditions. Patients completed the EuroQol EQ-5D, a generic quality-of-life questionnaire. The mean EQ-5D index score was .54 (possible scores range from -.59 to 1.00, with higher scores indicating fewer problems). This score reflects a burden of disease comparable with the burden in severe illnesses, such as Parkinson's disease (.58) or rheumatic disease (.53). (Psychiatric Services 56:1153-1155, 2005)