Abstract:

Introduction: Schizophrenia is a common chronic psychiatric disease which can result in personal-social problems. Recently, quality of life (QOL) is considered as an important measure of the impacts of schizophrenia and its treatment, and can be useful in proper planning.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to compare QOL in schizophrenic patients and healthy people in Rasht city.

Methods: This study is a cross-sectional descriptive survey that was done on 52 patients with schizophrenia visiting outpatient clinic in Shafa hospital which were selected by convenience sampling. Also 153 healthy people in Rasht were selected randomly by cluster method. Data collection instrument was a 3- part questionnaire consisting 1) personal-social questionnaire, 2) WHO 28-item QOL questionnaire, and 3) mental status assess form. Third tool was specially used for patient group. Data gathered by face-to-face interview and analyzed by SPSS.

Results: The finding indicated that mean score of QOL and all of its domains consisting general, physical, psychiatric, social relationship, and environmental was lower in schizophrenic patients (83.03- 6.42- 22.19- 25.15- 6.22, and 23.05 respectively) comparing to healthy people (90.49, 7.26, 25.87, 27.62, 7.16, and 23.19). There was statistically significant difference between schizophrenic patient's and healthy people's QOL (P=0/0001), and it's general (P=0/006), physical (P=0/0001), psychiatric (P=0/001), and social relationship (P=0/015) domains according to independent-t test results.

Conclusion: According to this result, schizophrenic clients, even with better mental status, have lower QOL level than healthy people that need special attention to improve their post-discharge treatment and care.

Key words: Quality of life, Schizophrenia, Mental health