Quality of Life in Schizophrenic Patients

Background: Nowadays, quality of life (QoL) is an important indicator of treatment outcome and it's evaluation in schizophrenic patients will be vital. So, this study is conducted to compare QoL in schizophrenic patients and healthy people in Rasht, Guilan.

Materials and Method: This study is a cross-sectional descriptive survey that was done on 52 patients with schizophrenia referred to Shafa hospital with convenience sampling method and 153 healthy people of Rasht by cluster method. Data collection instrument was a 3 part questionnaire consisting demographic-social questionnaire, WHO QoL questionnaire, and mental status assessment form. Data gathered by interview and analyzed with SPSS software using descriptive and inferential statistics (χ2, ANOVA, independent-t test).

Results: Our finding indicated that patients and healthy individuals QoL had overall statistically significant difference (p<0.0001), and it's general (p<0.006), physical (p<0.0001), psychiatric (p<0.001), and social relationship (p<0.015).

Conclusion: According result, schizophrenic clients compare with healthy people had lower QoL level that need special attention to improve treatment and their post-discharge care with focus on social relationship in this group of patients. [ZJRMS, 2012 14(1): 61-66]