Measuring patient quality of life: is the health utility index useful?
The purpose of this paper is to report Health Utility Index Mark 3 (HUI3) scores, at baseline and at one year, for patients with psychotic disorders. Eighty two randomly selected outpatients from a Montreal teaching hospital completed the HUI3 and other measures of symptoms and side-effects. At baseline, the average Global Utility score was 0.64, which is rated in the "dysfunctional" health status range. Improvements were seen at one year follow-up in the Global, Dexterity, Cognition, and Pain Utility scores. The proportion of individuals rated in the "healthy" health status range improved by 32% from baseline to one year. HUI3 scores were negatively related to measures of psychotic symptoms and side-effects. We propose that the HUI3 should be used to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with psychotic disorders. Scores could be compared with other populations affected with chronic conditions (e.g., Alzheimer dementia, cancer, arthritis, etc.).
Tempier
Raymond
R
Department of Psychiatry, University of Saskatchewan, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 0W8. raymond.tempier@usask.ca
Pawliuk
Nicole
N
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011792:Quebec; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents