title: Quality of life in medically ill persons with comorbid mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This systematic review aims to investigate the association between comorbid mental disorders and quality of life (QoL) in patients with chronic medical diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Studies investigating adults with diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, asthma, chronic back pain and colorectal cancer were included. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed methodological criteria. Effect sizes for QoL scores were analyzed in random-effects meta-analyses. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The database search identified 7,291 references and 65 primary studies were included. Medically ill persons with comorbid mental disorders showed a significantly decreased overall (d = -1.10; 95% CI = -1.34 to -0.86), physical (d = -0.64; 95% CI = -0.74 to -0.53) and psychosocial (d = -1.18; 95% CI = -1.42 to -0.95) QoL compared to persons without mental disorders. Subgroup analyses did not reveal significant differences between the examined medical diseases or mental disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The review provides evidence of a substantially reduced psychosocial and physical QoL in medically ill patients with comorbid mental disorders. This patient-reported outcome highlights the importance of recognizing and treating comorbid mental disorders in the medically ill.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. baumeister@psychologie.uni-freiburg.de
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baumeister
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hutter
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bengel
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Härter
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*