EPA-0699 – The quality of life and life satisfaction in patients suffering from schizophrenia

Abstract

Introduction The first goal of schizophrenia treatment in the past was to reduce positive symptoms, because it is thought that due to psychopathology and poor awareness, patients were unable to assess themselves and their needs. Recently, the goal of the treatment is improvement of social life and emphasizes the assessment of quality of life and life satisfaction as a priority of the service providers. Objectives Quality of life and life satisfaction assessment in schizophrenia, evidence of anxiety and depression in schizophrenia and connection between the above variables. Aims Exploration of quality of life and life satisfaction in patients suffering from schizophrenia. Methods Subjects were120 outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia by psychiatrists. Data were obtained using: Quality of Life Questionnaire, Hopkins Questionnaire for Depression and Anxiety, Life Satisfaction Questionnaire and The McGill Illness Narrative Interview. Results Data collected were analyzed with SPSS 17. Description of the results includes descriptive data, cross table for nominal data and ANOVA and T test for averages. Average age was 41.6, range 21–67. Average of education was 10.1, range 4-19. The average age of diagnosis was 25.1, range 15–39. Conclusions Frequent changes of therapy have resulted in more anxiety and depression symptoms in patients suffering from schizophrenia. Individuals with more symptoms of anxiety and depression were found to have less life satisfaction. Quality of life was found to be the highest reported in individuals treated with atypical antipsychotics.