Subjective health-related quality of life in community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults with early-onset schizophrenia

Background: Long-term outcome in schizophrenia remains unsatisfactory due to continued premature deaths and insufficient health treatment. Subjective quality of life (SQoL) measurements hold important information and have meaningful implications regarding ways of improving general health status. This study investigated the physical and mental SQoL and associated clinical and sociodemographic outcomes among community-dwelling middle-aged and older people with early-onset schizophrenia.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional interview study where participants residing in the Region of Southern Denmark were identified through The Danish Psychiatric Central Register. Of a total of 278 eligible individuals, 59 people aged 55–82 years old participated. The SQoL measure Medical Outcomes Short Form 36 version 2 (SF36) was used. Scores were compared by age groups with normative data for the Danish population. Associated outcomes were measured using Positive And Negative Symptom Scale Remission and others.

Results: Increased mental SQoL was associated with schizophrenia in remission (adjusted B 9.43, p = .001), increased Mental Health Recovery Measure score (adjusted B 0.55, p < .001) and increased GAF score (adjusted B 0.32, p < .001). Comparing with Danish Normative data, mental SQoL was reduced (p = .001) among 55–64-year olds, but presented levels similar to the general population at ages over 65 years. Physical quality of life was similar to the general population.

Conclusion: Over 65-year olds with schizophrenia seemed to have SQoL similar to their age peers in the general population. Aiming treatment at achieving state of remission or recovery would be an amenable measure toward increasing mental SQoL among middle-aged people with schizophrenia.