Functioning and well-being of middle-aged and older patients with schizophrenia: measurement with the 36-item short-form (SF-36) health survey.
OBJECTIVE
The authors compared the subjective functioning of 137 middle-aged and elderly outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder with that of 77 normal subjects, using the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) 36-Item Short Form (SF-36) Health Survey. The SF-36 is a generic outcome measure that provides a profile of functioning in several different domains.


METHODS
Measures included the MOS-SF-36, along with standardized instruments for assessing psychopathology, cognition, dyskinesia, quality of well-being, and everyday functioning.


RESULTS
Schizophrenia patients reported greater disability than normal subjects in all areas (mental and physical) assessed by the SF-36 except for bodily pain. Logistic-regression analysis suggested that the best predictors for being in the schizophrenia group were 1) physical and emotional functioning and 2) pain. Among patients, age at onset of illness, depressive symptoms, and cognitive functioning predicted 39% of the variance in the SF-36 Mental Health Composite score.


CONCLUSIONS
Subjective functioning of older people with schizophrenia is affected by perceived physical health, depressive symptoms, and cognitive impairment.
Sciolla
Andrés
A
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093-0680, USA.
Patterson
Thomas L
TL
Wetherell
Julie Loebach
JL
McAdams
Lou Ann
LA
Jeste
Dilip V
DV
D000368:Aged; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires