[Factors affecting WHOQOL-26 in community-dwelling patients with schizophrenia].
OBJECTIVE
Schizophrenic patients' quality of life (QOL) has become increasingly important due to shift of mental health care from hospitals to communities. This paper describes a longitudinal study conducted to clarify relationships among the QOL, self-esteem, depressive mood, and uncooperativeness of schizophrenic patients identified in the authors' previous crosssectional study.


METHODS
Subjects were 61 schizophrenic patients attending day care at mental hospitals. They were assessed initially, and again after a 12-month follow-up. The assessment was carried out using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, WHOQOL-26 Scale, and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, and included personal characteristics. Covariance structure analysis (Synchronous Effects Model) was conducted to clarify the relationships between self-esteem and the WHOQOL-26 Scale, and between psychiatric states (depressive mood and uncooperativeness) and self-esteem, while controlling for subjects' individual characteristics and use of antipsychotics as confounding factors.


RESULTS
The results indicated that self-esteem had a significantly positive effect on the WHOQOL-26 Scale while depressive mood and uncooperativeness were without significant effects.


CONCLUSIONS
The results provide evidence that the enhancement and maintenance of self-esteem may be an effective method of improving WHOQOL-26 in schizophrenic patients.
Kunikata
Hiroko
H
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Science, Okayama University Medical School.
Mino
Yoshio
Y
Nakajima
Kazuo
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology