J Korean Geriatr Psychiatry.  2014 Oct;18(2):55-63. 10.0000/jkgp.2014.18.2.55.

The Relationship among Psychopathology, Cognitive Function, Insight and Quality of Life in Elderly Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia

Affiliations
  • 1Department of General Psychiatry, Seoul National Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
  • 2Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Seoul National Hospital, Seoul, Korea. jnl@korea.kr
  • 3Department of Psychology, Seoul National Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
  • 4Mental Health Research, Seoul National Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the association with psychopathology, cognitive function, insight and quality of life (QOL) in elderly patients with chronic schizophrenia over age 55.
METHODS
103 schizophrenic patients over age 55 with illness duration over 10 years, are enrolled in a cross-sectional study. The subjects were assessed by the Korean version of 4th Revision of Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale, Korean Version of Scales to Assessment Unawareness of Mental Disorder, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the cognitive function battery designed for this study. Multiple regression stepwise selection models were executed to identify the relations among variables, and the contributing factors to QOL.
RESULTS
Among schizophrenic patients with lower illness-severity with PANSS total score below 75, higher PANSS positive subscale score and lower number of hospitalization were related to lower QOL. Among patients with higher illness-severity with PANSS total score of 75 and over, higher PANSS general psychopathology subscale score, better intelligence, better delayed recall function, worse attention, better awareness of medication effect and later onset were related to lower QOL.
CONCLUSION
Results of our study suggest that improvement in positive symptom and general psychopathology could increase the QOL in elderly patients with chronic schizophrenia over age 55. And the management which could improve attention, awareness of need for medication would attribute the QOL.

Keyword

Elderly; Schizophrenia; Psychopathology; Cognition; Awareness; Quality of life

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Cognition
Cross-Sectional Studies
Hospitalization
Humans
Intelligence
Mental Disorders
Psychopathology*
Quality of Life*
Schizophrenia*
Weights and Measures
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