A community study of the health-related quality of life of schizophrenia and general practice outpatients in Singapore.
BACKGROUND
Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important outcome indicator of healthcare that has been little studied in East Asia, where, culturally, there is greater family interdependence than in the West. We aimed to study the HRQOL of schizophrenia outpatients compared to general practice outpatients, and to examine determinants of schizophrenia HRQOL in our community.


METHODS
The HRQOL of 94 schizophrenia and 90 general practice outpatients was assessed using the COOP/WONCA chart. Clinical status, demographics, medication dosages, extrapyramidal side-effects, and frequency of personal, family and social functioning were assessed using standardized questionnaires.


RESULTS
Some 90% of schizophrenia outpatients still lived with their immediate families, and the majority were single, unemployed, and rarely engaged in social activities. They had poorer satisfaction with overall HRQOL compared to general practice outpatients. Using stepwise linear regression analysis, poorer schizophrenia overall HRQOL was predicted by dissatisfaction with and poorer participation in family relationships, dissatisfaction with emotional well-being and male gender [R(2) = 0.40, p = 0.040; F(4, 5.1) = 14.3, p < 0.001].


CONCLUSIONS
Strained family relationships appeared to be an important contributor to poorer schizophrenia HRQOL in our East Asian community. This could possibly be related to the narrowing of social-occupational functioning and its burden on the family.
Tan
Hao-Yang
HY
Department of Psychological Medicine, National University of Singapore, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, 119074, Singapore. pcmthy@nus.edu.sg
Choo
Wei-Chieh
WC
Doshi
Sanjay
S
Lim
Leslie E C
LE
Kua
Ee-Heok
EH
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors