Skip to main content

Quality of Life, Gender and Schizophrenia: A Cross-National Survey in Canada, Cuba, and U.S.A.

Community Mental Health Journal volume 34, pages 501–511 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

Although gender differences in schizophrenicsymptom expression have been widely established, nosystematic studies have documented if these differencesextend to the perception of quality of life. This survey gathered international data on theperception of quality of life among 102 outpatient menand women with schizophrenia from Canada, Cuba, and theUnited States. Using portions of Lehman's Quality of Life Interview, quality of life was assessedon the domains of social relationships, health, livingsituation, leisure, finances and general quality oflife. Gender differences were tested with ANOVA where site was treated as a nested variable andseparate t-tests comparing men and women within eachcountry. Although no differences were found for thecombined sample, differences were observed between men and women in Canada and Cuba on the socialrelationship domain. In Canada, women with schizophreniareported a higher quality of life for socialrelationships. In contrast, Cuban men with schizophrenia reported higher quality of life for socialrelationships than Cuban women. Findings from the threesites show no differences for the other domains. Withthe possible exception of social relationships, these findings suggest no discernable differences inthe perception of quality of life for men and women withschizophrenia. Overall, men and women with schizophreniawere only somewhat satisfied with some aspects oflife.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

REFERENCES

  • Alcalay, R., Ghee, A., & Scrimshaw, S. (1993). Designing prenatal care messages for low-income Mexican women. Public Health Reports, 108(3), 354–362.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1987). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders(3rd ed. revised). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andia, A.M., Zisook, S., Heaton, R.K., Hesselink, J., Jernigan, T., Kuck, J., Moranville, J., & Braff, D. (1995). Gender differences in schizophrenia. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 183(8), 522–528.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Angermeyer, M.C., Goldstein, J.M., & Kuehn, L. (1989). Gender differences in schizophrenia: Rehospitalization and community survival. Psychological Medicine, 19, 365–382.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, M., Diamond, R., & Sainfort, F. (1993). A new patient focused index for measuring quality of life in persons with severe and persistent mental illness. Quality of Life Research, 2, 239–251.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, M., Handel, M., & Pearsal, D. (1988). Behavioral differences between female and male hospitalized chronically mentally ill patients. In L.L. Bachrach & C.C. Nadelson (Eds.), Treating chronically mentally ill women(pp. 29–44). Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Castle, D.J. & Murray, R.M. (1993) The epidemiology of late-onset schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 19, 691–700.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, C. (1995). Studies of the course and outcome of schizophrenia in later life. Psychiatric Services, 49(9), 877–889.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, C. I., Talavera, N. & Hartung, R. (1996). Depression among aging persons with schizophrenia who live in the community. Psychiatric Services, 47(6), 601–607.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dyches, H. & Rushing, B. (1993). The health status of women in the world system. International Journal of Health Services, 23(2), 359–371.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Elling, R.H. (1994). Theory and method for the cross-national study of health systems. International Journal of Health Services, 24(2), 285–309.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Faden, R. & Leplege, A. (1992). Assessing quality of life: Moral implications for clinical practice. Medical Care-Supplement, 30(5), MS166–MS175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fischer, J. & Corcoran, K. (1994). Measures for clinical practice: A sourcebook. Vol. 2: Adults. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guillemin, F., Bombardier, C. & Beaton, D. (1993). Cross-cultural adaptation of health-related quality of life measures: Literature review and proposed guidelines. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 46(12), 1417–1432.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Halford, W.K., Schweitzer, R.D. & Varghese, F.N. (1991). Effects of family environment on negative symptoms and quality of life of psychotic patients. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 42(12), 1241–1247.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • International Classification of Diseases: 9th Edition.(1980). United States Department of Health and Human Services, Publication No. 80-1260.

  • Krieger, N. & Fee, E. (1994). Man-made medicine and women’s health: The biopolitics of sex/ gender and race/ethnicity. International Journal of Health Services, 24(2), 265–283.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kuyken, W., Orley, J. Hudelson, P. & Sartorius, N. (1994). Quality of life assessment across cultures. International Journal of Mental Health, 23(2), 5–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lefley, H.P. (1990). Rehabilitation in mental illness: Insights from other cultures. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal, 14(1), 5–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lehman, A. (1988). A quality of life interview for the chronically mentally ill. Evaluation and Program Planning, 11, 51–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lehman, A. Rachuba, L.T. & Postrado, L.T. (1995). Demographic influences on quality of life with chronic mental illnesses. Evaluation and Program Planning, 18(2), 155–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewine, R. (1985). Schizophrenia: An amotivational syndrome in men. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 30, 316–318.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, J. Jody, D., Geisler, S., Loebel, A., Szymanski, S., Woerner, M., & Borenstein, M. (1993). Time course and biologic correlates of treatment response in first-episode schizophrenia. Archives of General Psychiatry 50 369–376.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nicole, L. & Shriqui, C.L. (1995). Gender differences in schizophrenia. In C.L. Shriqui & H.A. Nasrallah (Eds.), Contemporary Issues in the Treatment of Schizophrenia. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oakley, A. (1993). Women, health and knowledge: Travels through and beyond foreign parts. Health Care for Women International, 14(7), 327–344.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schissel, B. (1993). Coping with adversity: Testing the origins of resiliency in mental health. International Journal of Social Psychiatry,39(1), 34–36.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seeman, M.V. (1988). Schizophrenia in women and men. In L.L. Bachrach & C.C. Nadelson (Eds.), Treating chronically mentally ill women(pp. 19–28). Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Vikki L. Vandiver
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vandiver, V.L. Quality of Life, Gender and Schizophrenia: A Cross-National Survey in Canada, Cuba, and U.S.A.. Community Ment Health J 34, 501–511 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018742513643

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018742513643

Keywords

  • Public Health
  • Schizophrenia
  • Gender Difference
  • Health Psychology
  • Social Relationship