Factors associated with low quality of life in schizophrenia.
Interest in quality of life in mental health care has been stimulated by the deinstitutionalization of psychiatric patients as well as a parallel interest in understanding the scope of their daily lives. This study aims to investigate the socio-demographic and clinical variables related to low quality of life, using a cross-sectional design to evaluate quality of life by means of the QLS-BR scale. We interviewed a sample of 123 outpatients from a reference mental health center in Divinópolis, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, clinically diagnosed with schizophrenia. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out. The results showed that low quality of life is associated with one or more of the following: male gender, single marital status, low income plus low schooling, use of three or more prescribed psychoactive drugs, psychomotor agitation during the interview, and current follow-up care. The study identifies plausible indicators for the attention and care needed to improve psychiatric patient treatment.
Cardoso
Clareci Silva
CS
Departamento de Medicina Preventiva e Social, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. clareci@medicina.ufmg.br
Caiaffa
Waleska Teixeira
WT
Bandeira
Marina
M
Siqueira
Arminda Lucia
AL
Abreu
Mery Natali Silva
MN
Fonseca
José Otávio Penido
JO
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012559:Schizophrenia; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors