Correlation between Quality of Life and Positive and Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Aims: To assess quality of life in patients with schizophrenia, compare it with quality of life of healthy subjects, find out association between positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia and quality of life. Study Design: This was a cross sectional, comparative and hospital based study. Setting: The study was carried out in/out patient department of Psychiatry, Services Hospital, Lahore. Subjects: Fifty consecutive patients from schizophrenia were included in the study. They were compared with fifty healthy subjects matched on three variables, which were matched for age, sex, education, employment and socio-economic status. Results: Patients with schizophrenia had significantly poorer quality of life when compared with subjects. Quality of life is inversely related to the negative symptoms 56% positive symptoms 44% and general psychopathology of schizophrenia. Conclusion: Quality of life is a broad concept of including person's subjective opinion regarding physical health, psychological state, personal beliefs, social relationships and their relationship to the environment. This study highlights that schizophrenia adversely affects the quality of life in all the above-mentioned areas. This study emphasizes the patient's perspective regarding illness and its various aspects. There is a dire need to incorporate quality of life measures in health care system to make it more patient oriented.