Generic and disease-specific quality of life and its predictors among Chinese inpatients with schizophrenia

Abstract

This study aims to describe generic and disease-specific quality of life (QOL) and its predictors among Chinese inpatients with schizophrenia. A total of 209 subjects participated in this study: 121 men and 88 women. Their ages ranged from 18 to 64, with a mean age of 33.85 (S.D.=10.84). The total scores of generic and disease-specific QOL were statistically significant, correlated with patients׳ total symptom severity scores and social support scores (all P values less than 0.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed that monthly household income and subjective social support were statistically significant predictors of generic and disease-specific QOL. Duration of hospitalization, support use degree, negative and general psychopathology symptoms were additional significant predictors of disease-specific QOL. This study suggests the importance of improving subjective social support in order to promote generic and disease-specific QOL. Controlling negative and general psychopathology symptoms and improving support use degree could additionally enhance the disease-specific QOL in patients with schizophrenia.

Keywords: Quality of life; Schizophrenia; Social support; Symptom severity.