Predictive value of symptoms for quality of life in first-episode schizophrenia

Background: Management of the disease symptomatology impacts the long-term functioning and quality of life (QOL) in psychotic patients. Aim: The aim of this research was to study the association between psychiatric symptoms (positive, negative and general psychopathology symptoms) and QOL in first-episode schizophrenia patients. Methods: Fifty-five first-episode drug-naive schizophrenia outpatients were recruited from a tertiary care hospital in New Delhi, India. WHOQOL-Bref (World Health Organization Quality of Life) Scale was used to assess multi-dimensional domains of QOL (physical, psychological, social and environmental health). The patients were evaluated clinically using PANSS and followed up for 6 months. Multivariate analyses were carried out to outline the symptoms which are predictive of QOL in these patients.Results: Physical well-being as assessed with WHOQOL-Bref is significantly impacted by the positive, negative and general psychopathology symptoms of the disease. General psychopathology s...