Subjective quality of life of schizophrenic patients. Effect of treatment setting, psychopathology and extrapyramidal motor drug effects]

In a cross-sectional study in 79 schizophrenic patients the quality of life (QOL) of a group of community-based patients under supervision of an outpatient unit (n = 47) and a group of long-stay patients in an inpatient rehabilitation centre in the same area (n = 32) was compared.The patients' QOL was evaluated using the Lancashire Quality of Life Profile. Moreover psychopathology and extrapyramidal-motoric side-effects were assessed.Long-stay patients had a more distinct psychopathological symptomatology and more severe side-effects than community-based patients. After adjustment for psychopathology and side-effects, the subjective QOL of long-stay patients was significantly reduced in two out of eight life domains: housing and leisure activities. While psychopathology was negatively correlated with QOL, a subgroup with very marked psychopathology showed unexpectedly high QOL ratings.Results suggest that psychopathology is a stronger predictor of subjective QOL than side-effects and treatment setting. Patients with very distinct psychopathology probably use lower standards than others when evaluating their QOL which should be taken into consideration when analysing this type of data.