Psychotic and Substance Use Disorders Among Relatives of Patients with Bipolar Disorder at a Hospital in Kenya

Background: Bipolar disorder is one of the most prevalent psychiatric conditions in Kenya. Studies conducted outside Kenya show that bipolar disorders and psychotic disorders are interlinked by family relations, while alcohol and substance use disorders are their important comorbidities. This study investigated the prevalence and associated factors of psychotic, alcohol and substance use disorders among first-degree relatives (FDR) of patients with bipolar disorders at a referral hospital in Western Kenya. Methods: This was a cross-sectional quantitative study. Consecutive and Simple random sampling were used, with a sample size of 381. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was used for data collection. The chi-square test measured associations utilizing a 95% confidence interval. Results: The prevalences of psychotic, alcohol and substance use disorders were 23.6%, 13.6%, and 6%, respectively. Employment was significantly associated with psychotic disorder (P=0.038), and relation to the patient was significantly associated with alcohol use disorder (P=0.007) and substance use disorder (P=0.001). Conclusion: Among the relatives of patients with bipolar disorders, there is a high prevalence of psychotic, alcohol and substance use disorders.