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The quality of life of people with schizophrenia living in community in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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Abstract

Introduction

The influence of sociodemographics and clinical factors on the quality of life (qol) of an individual with schizophrenia is being widely studied, particularly in developed countries. The de-institutionalization process that is taking course in Brazil, to a less symptoms-focused approach, makes necessary the assessment of the qol of these patients living in the community.

Objectives

To evaluate factors related to the qol in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder, and who are users of one of the two municipal community mental health services of a Rio de Janeiro district, Brazil.

Material and methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out. Selected patients were interviewed with Brazilian versions of Lancashire Quality of Life Profile, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia.

Results

A total of 136 patients participated in the study. Most of them were single and lived with their relatives, had low educational level, were unemployed and had low income. A great number of the interviewed did not have any social contact outside the family and leisure activity, except watching television and/or listening to the radio. Finances and work situation had the lowest satisfaction level. Educational level, presence of positive and depressive symptoms, hospital admissions were negatively associated with qol. For those receiving state benefit, perceived qol increased with age. These predictors explained more than 42% of the total subjective qol score variance.

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Notes

  1. Centro de Atenção Psicossocial Ernesto Nazareth.

  2. Posto de Atendimento Médico Newton Alves Cardoso.

  3. Fourth Edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders from American Psychiatric Association (apud [6]).

  4. Points whose residuals are so large that they indicate that either the model or the response are erroneous.

  5. Points that affect the model parameters.

  6. Income have been adjusted in function of currency rates (US$ average quotation from 2003 to 2004) and the standard of living (purchasing power parities from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development).

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Acknowledgements

We thank the assistance of the users, carers and clinical staff of the two services. Special thanks are due to Dr Elizabete Possidente, Dr Norma Gamarra and Dr Sérgio Neves for their contribution during data collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rua São Clemente, 398/604 – Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, CEP, 22260-000, Brazil

    Leonardo Araújo de Souza

  2. Depto. de Epidemiologia e Métodos Quantitativos em Saúde, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Evandro Silva Freire Coutinho

Authors
  1. Leonardo Araújo de Souza
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  2. Evandro Silva Freire Coutinho
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Correspondence to Leonardo Araújo de Souza.

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de Souza, L.A., Coutinho, E.S.F. The quality of life of people with schizophrenia living in community in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 41, 347–356 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-006-0042-6

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