Different Domains of Quality Of Life (QOL) in Schizophrenic Patients

Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder which results in severe impairments in job, education and family relationships. We compared different domains of Quality Of Life (QOL) in schizophrenic patients with those in healthy persons. 

Methods and Materials:

 In a descriptive analytic study, a total number of 160 participants, including 80 schizophrenic patients (case group) and 80 healthy persons (control group) were studied. They were 15 to 45 years old. In order to get them matched regarding the psycho-socio-cultural status, we selected the control group participants from the patients' family members. We also matched the two groups for age, marital status and educational level. Patients’ were in the remission phase and 2 years or more had passed from the onset of their psychiatric disorder. We applied Hawthorne & Richardson QOL questionnaire for assessing QOL. Data were analyzed using T student test by SPSS-software. 

Each group contained 48 men and 32 women. A number of 39 participants were married and the others were single, divorced or widowed. Mean age of the patient group (38.2±4.3 years) was not significantly different from the control one (40.5±3.1 years). Mean score of QOL was 33.9±4.75 in the case group and 54.6±1.12 in the control one, which indicates a significant difference. The case and the control groups’ scores for different domains of QOL were respectively as follows: (the domain of) disease (4.5±15 vs. 10.8±0.98), independent life (8.10±1.14 vs. 10.9±0.83), social relations (6.4±1.97 vs. 11±0.77), bodily sensations (8.7±1.49 vs. 10.90±0.70), and psychiatric rehabilitation (6.2±1.89 vs. 11±0.9). The mean score of each domain showed a significant difference between the two groups.

Schizophrenic patients were found to have a lower QOL than healthy individuals. This was true in all of the QOL domains. The patients’ lowest score was in the disease domain and their highest score was in the bodily sensation domain. This can be considered in determining priorities for pharmaceutical, psycho-logical and social interventions.