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Ten-year quality of life outcomes among patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders: I. Predictive value of disorder-related factors

Quality of Life Research volume 21, pages 837–847 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

To provide data on long-term health-related quality of life (HRQL) outcomes among patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and schizoaffective (SA) disorders and determine the predictive value of disorder-related factors.

Methods

A total of 108 patients with SZ/SA were assessed during stabilization phase and over 10 years with the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q), Clinical Global Impression Scale, Positive and Negative Syndromes Scale (PANSS), Distress Scale for Adverse Symptoms (DSAS), Talbieh Brief Distress Inventory (TBDI), Brief Symptom Inventory-Somatization Scale (BSI-S), and Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF). Variability and relationships between Q-LES-Q and disorder-related dimensions over time were analyzed.

Results

There were no differences in Q-LES-Q dimensions between patients with SZ and SA disorders. Poor outcomes were found among 76% of the patients with SZ/SA disorders who remained dissatisfied (64%) or worsened (12%) with their HRQL over time. However, 24% of patients reported improved quality of life (16%), or remained satisfied (8%). Changes in TBDI, DSAS, BSI-S, PANSS, and GAF measures accounted for 20–50% of the total variance in satisfaction changes in Q-LES-Q domains across time.

Conclusions

Long-term quality of life outcomes are characterized by four different types that fit changes over time in emotional distress, side effects, somatization, symptom dimensions, and general functioning scores. Revealed predictors are factors that can be ameliorated and thereby enhance satisfaction with quality of life over time.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the clinical staff of Sha’ar Menashe Mental Health Center, particularly Drs. O. Rivkin, E. Shinkarenko, I. Timisky, Y. Ratner, A. Gibel, H. Farkash, G. Perelroyzen, A. Ponizovsky, and Mrs R. Kurs, for their valuable participation in conducting previous stages of this project. And special thanks to Mrs R. Kurs for editing this manuscript.

Conflict of interests

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

    Michael S. Ritsner

  2. Acute Department, Sha’ar Menashe Mental Health Center, Mobile Post Hefer, 38814, Hadera, Israel

    Michael S. Ritsner, Alexander Lisker & Marina Arbitman

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  1. Michael S. Ritsner
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Correspondence to Michael S. Ritsner.

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Ritsner, M.S., Lisker, A. & Arbitman, M. Ten-year quality of life outcomes among patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders: I. Predictive value of disorder-related factors. Qual Life Res 21, 837–847 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-011-9988-2

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Keywords

  • Subjective quality of life
  • Severe mental illness
  • Long-term follow-up