QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH DIFFERENT PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Quality of life should be a very important issue for doctors, especially in chronic diseases. Currently, the most important matters in the therapeutic process are not only bringing about the relief of certain symptoms of the disease itself, but also improving the patients functioning with respect to such areas as social, physical and self-perception through the disease. The study researched the quality of life in relation to demographic and clinic factors in patients with different psychiatric disorders. Materials and Methods: The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), socio-demographic data questionnaire were delivered to a group of 186 subjects (110 females, 76 males) during outpatient visits or hospitalizations in the Psychiatry Ward of the Hager Multispecialty District Hospital in Tarnowskie Gry. There were 5 groups of patients, who had been diagnosed with different psychiatricdiseases: schizophrenia (22 females and 28 males in mean age 33,410,06), recurrent major depressive disorder (28 females and 18 men, age was 40,6110,64), bipolar disorders (8 woman and 12 men, average age was 41,0910,45), anxiety disorders (26 women and 18 men the age was 33,5810,21) and eating disorders (women only mean age was 26,4342.50). Results: Schizophrenic patients showed significantly better results in health-related quality of life in most domains of SF-36 score and summary scales The Physical Component Summary Scale (PCS) and Mental Component Summary Scale (MCS) than patients with other psychiatric disorders. The lowest results in SF-36 scale were obtained by recurrent major depressive disorder and eating disorders patients. Importantly, symptoms of depression and anxiety influenced the quality of life in all examined groups. Age, marital status as well as duration of illness were negatively associated with the MCS. The BMI was negatively associated with PCS in schizophrenic patients. In anxiety patients, MCS was negatively influenced by BMI.Conclusions: Active treatment for depressive and anxiety symptoms is recommended to improve quality of life in patients with different psychiatric disorders. Schizophrenic andanxiety patients must not forget that high body weight may be a risk factor of the low quality of life.