title: Subjective quality of life in patients with chronic schizophrenia: relationships between psychosocial and clinical characteristics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Using the theoretical framework of quality of life (QOL), many studies have demonstrated that the beliefs individuals hold about their QOL are important in predicting health outcomes. This study tested the Taiwanese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) assessment in schizophrenia patients. The WHOQOL-BREF is a cross-cultural and widely used measure for assessing health-related QOL. This brief version of the questionnaire derived from the concepts included in the 100-item WHOQOL questionnaire was adapted for use in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the current cross-sectional study, 104 patients who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria were recruited and independently interviewed using the Taiwanese version of the WHOQOL-BREF. Patients were also examined using various other scales assessing insight, symptom severity, general psychopathology, and antipsychotic-induced side effects. In addition, we analyzed demographic data, clinical variables, and several self-rating scales as correlates of the Taiwanese version of the WHOQOL-BREF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As predicted, age, onset of illness, insight measures, symptom severity, general psychopathology, and antipsychotic-induced side effects were all significantly related to the QOL scores. Multiple regression analyses revealed that depressive symptoms, antipsychotic-induced parkinsonism side effects, hopelessness, and age at illness onset were the 4 strongest predictors of subjective QOL in schizophrenia patients. These variables accounted for 39.2% of the total variance of this QOL model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the WHOQOL-BREF is a promising model for mental assessing health problems in schizophrenia patients. Furthermore, the present findings highlight the importance of understanding the complex nature of the concept of QOL. Our study also supports the belief that different domains of QOL are likely to have different predictors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, SongShan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taipei 10581, Taiwan, Republic of China. yiaping@ms75.hinet.net
authors.forename: Yu-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Yia-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ming-Kuen
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Tsung-Hsing
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D011594:Psychometrics; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents