BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QOL) has gained importance as a global measure of social and clinical outcome in schizophrenia. AIMS: To identify the clinical correlates of QOL at the time of first presentation with schizophrenia. METHOD: Over two years, consecutive first-episode psychosis patients presenting to a catchment area psychiatric service underwent validated clinical assessments of premorbid adjustment, illness duration, symptoms and QOL. RESULTS: At presentation, subjects already had a diminished QOL. Although independent of gender and age at onset of psychosis, QOL was influenced by premorbid adjustment, duration of untreated psychosis and symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Reducing the duration of untreated psychosis may have a beneficial effect on the subsequent QOL of patients presenting with schizophrenia. First-episode patients with a protracted duration of untreated psychosis or impaired premorbid adjustment may warrant specific treatment interventions to prevent the development of secondary handicaps.
BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QOL) has gained importance as a global measure of social and clinical outcome in schizophrenia. AIMS: To identify the clinical correlates of QOL at the time of first presentation with schizophrenia. METHOD: Over two years, consecutive first-episode psychosispatients presenting to a catchment area psychiatric service underwent validated clinical assessments of premorbid adjustment, illness duration, symptoms and QOL. RESULTS: At presentation, subjects already had a diminished QOL. Although independent of gender and age at onset of psychosis, QOL was influenced by premorbid adjustment, duration of untreated psychosis and symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Reducing the duration of untreated psychosis may have a beneficial effect on the subsequent QOL of patients presenting with schizophrenia. First-episode patients with a protracted duration of untreated psychosis or impaired premorbid adjustment may warrant specific treatment interventions to prevent the development of secondary handicaps.
Authors: C W Law; Eric Y H Chen; Eric F C Cheung; Raymond C K Chan; Josephine G W S Wong; Cindy L K Lam; K F Leung; Molly S M Lo Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2005-10 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: Leslie Marino; Ilana Nossel; Jean C Choi; Keith Nuechterlein; Yuanjia Wang; Susan Essock; Melanie Bennett; Karen McNamara; Sapna Mendon; Lisa Dixon Journal: J Nerv Ment Dis Date: 2015-05 Impact factor: 2.254