RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between psychosocial factors, frequent relapses and hospital readmissions in patients with organic psychoses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 33 patients diagnosed with organic psychosis, seen at Hospital Psiquiatrico Guillermo Dávila, of Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social in Mexico City. Patients had been readmitted more than two occasions during 1993-1994. Data collection instruments consisted of recorded interviews, five-minute dialogues of expressed emotions (EE), and combined questionnaires to assess perception of illness and the physician-patient relationship. The Kappa statistic and Cronbach's alpha were used to establish the validity and reliability of the measurements; descriptive and inferential methods were used for statistical data analysis. RESULTS: A high percentage (60.9%) of patient's relatives showed high level of EE, as measured by their expression of criticism, hostility, or emotional over-involvement; 64.3% of study subjects lived for more than 35 hours per week with relatives having high EE levels. CONCLUSIONS: High EE levels were associated with frequent readmissions to the psychiatric ward. Greater perception of illness characteristics was observed among relatives than in patients. Even though a satisfactory physician-patient relationship was found, it was not conducive to improving the perception of illness nor compliance with therapy.