title: Predictors of improvement in quality of life of long-term mentally ill individuals receiving case management.
abstract: One hundred and thirteen long-term mentally ill clients receiving case management were investigated with regard to psychosocial and clinical predictors of changes in subjective quality of life during an 18-month follow-up. Better psychosocial functioning and fewer psychiatric symptoms at baseline predicted a greater improvement in quality of life. A larger decrease in symptom severity and a greater improvement in the social network during the follow-up were identified as the most important predictors of a greater improvement in subjective quality of life. The results of the study suggest that an emphasis should be put on effective symptom management, a reduction of needs for care and social support in order to fulfill the aims of improving subjective quality of life in patients receiving case management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, University Hospital, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Björkman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hansson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019090:Case Management; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013548:Sweden; D013997:Time Factors