Illness course and quality of life in Mexican patients with psychosis

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the differences in the quality of life of patients with psychosis according to the course of the illness.

Method: Clinical records and SCID-I interviews were used to establish the course of the illness and to categorize it according to 3 criteria: a) relapses, b) residual symptoms, and c) clinical diagnosis. Subjective quality of life was assessed with the Seville Questionnaire.

Results: Sixty one patients (56% women) participated, reporting a mostly adequate quality of life. An illness course characterized by the presence of residual symptoms, rather than by the occurrence of any relapse or the progression of a first-episode psychosis into schizophrenia, showed a negative effect on the perceived quality of life of patients.

Conclusions: The clinical services provided to patients with psychosis should focus not only on symptoms remission and relapse prevention, but also achieving a recovery with a satisfactory quality of life. Having identified residual symptoms as a crucial factor negatively affecting quality of life, clinicians must carefully assess them and treat them, in order to achieve the best possible recovery.

Keywords: Calidad de vida; Curso de la enfermedad; Esquizofrenia; Illness course; Mexican; Mexicanos; Psicosis; Psychosis; Quality of life; Schizophrenia.