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Comorbid Moderate–Severe Depressive Symptoms and their Association with Quality of Life in Chinese Patients with Schizophrenia Treated in Primary Care

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Abstract

This study described the prevalence and correlates of comorbid moderate–severe depressive symptoms (comorbid depression thereafter) and their association with quality of life (QOL) in schizophrenia patients treated in primary care. 623 schizophrenia patients were enrolled. Patients’ socio-demographic and clinical characteristics including comorbid depression [defined as a total score of 18 or above on the Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)] were recorded. Depressive symptoms (defined as a total score of 9 or above on the MADRS) were present in 54.1 % of patients, while 17.7 % had comorbid depression. Analysis of covariance revealed that comorbid depression was significantly associated with lower mental QOL. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that more severe positive and negative symptoms, anxiety symptoms, use of first-generation antipsychotics and antidepressants, were independently associated with comorbid depression. Given the negative association between comorbid depression and QOL, attempts to address comorbid depression in schizophrenia patients treated in primary care should be made.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by the Medical Science and Technology Research Foundation of Guangdong Province (Grant Number: A2014011; C2014016) and the Start-up Research Grant (SRG2014-00019-FHS) and Multi-Year Research Grant (MYRG2015-00230-FHS) from University of Macau. The authors thank all the clinicians for their contribution to this study.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

      Cai-Lan Hou, Fu-Jun Jia & Yong-Qiang Lin

    2. Ningxia Mental Health Center, Ningxia Ning-An Hospital, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China

      Xin-Rong Ma

    3. Guangzhou Yuexiu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

      Mei-Ying Cai

    4. Mood Disorders Centre, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

      Yan Li

    5. Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Psychological Healthcare, Shenzhen Institute of Mental Health, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, China

      Yu Zang & Xiao-Lan Cao

    6. Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

      Helen F. K. Chiu & Bao-Liang Zhong

    7. School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia

      Gabor S. Ungvari

    8. Marian Centre, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Perth, Australia

      Gabor S. Ungvari

    9. Department of Psychology, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China

      Brian J. Hall

    10. Unit of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, 3/F, Building E12, Macau SAR, Taipa, China

      Yu-Tao Xiang

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    1. Cai-Lan Hou
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    2. Xin-Rong Ma
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    Correspondence to Fu-Jun Jia or Yu-Tao Xiang.

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    The authors had no conflicts of interest in conducting this study or preparing the manuscript.

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    Cai-Lan Hou, Xin-Rong Ma, Mei-Ying Cai and Yan Li have equally contributed to this article.

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    Hou, CL., Ma, XR., Cai, MY. et al. Comorbid Moderate–Severe Depressive Symptoms and their Association with Quality of Life in Chinese Patients with Schizophrenia Treated in Primary Care. Community Ment Health J 52, 921–926 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-016-0023-5

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