[Subjective quality of life of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder compared to the general population].

BACKGROUND: Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) not only suffer from obsessive-compulsive symptoms, but also the disorder is associated with impaired social functioning, which impact their everyday life negatively. OBJECTIVE: Subjective quality of life (QoL) in patients with OCD was examined and compared to the general German population. METHODS: 75 patients with OCD (ICD-10 F42.0-F42.2) were recruited from the outpatient clinic for anxiety disorders at the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Leipzig. Patients showing psychiatric co-morbidity were excluded. By means of the WHOQOL-BREF, QoL was assessed in patients with OCD and in a sample of the general population of Saxony/Germany. RESULTS: Compared with the general population, QoL in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorders was lower in all domains of the WHOQOL-BREF. CONCLUSION: OCD has a substantial adverse effect on patients' subjective QoL. Therefore, it will be necessary to include interventions in the treatment of OCD aimed at improving residual deficits in psychosocial functioning and QoL.