The Influence of Antipsychotics on the Quality of Life of Patients with Schizophrenia in a Long-stay Psychiatric Facility

ABSTRACT Introduction: Many factors concomitantly influence the quality of life of patients with schizophrenia in a long-stay psychiatric facility. Th e appropriate selection of antipsychotics and the intensity of their adverse effects exert a significant influence on the quality of life of these patients. Th e aim of this study was to identify the influence of antipsychotic-related factors on the quality of life of patients with schizophrenia. Methods: Th e study included 102 beneficiaries at the Institute for Accommodation of Adults “Male Pčelice” in Kragujevac. Th e patients were interviewed on in one day using the questionnaire issued by the World Health Organization. The specified data were obtained from the health files of the beneficiaries. We performed a comparison between patients receiving only atypical antipsychotics, typical antipsychotics or a combination thereof. Results: Th e patients who were receiving only atypical antipsychotics demonstrated better physical health quality of life scores in comparison to those who received combined antipsychotics (77.14 vs. 68.57; U = 332.0; p = 0.02). A statistically significant difference in the mental health quality of life domain was observed between groups of patients receiving various antipsychotic treatments (31.96 vs. 55.27 vs. 49.46; c2 = 7.02; p = 0.03). Conclusion: Patients in a long-stay psychiatric facility who received atypical antipsychotics demonstrated a better quality of life in comparison to those who received typical antipsychotics, possibly due to the superior safety profile of atypical antipsychotics and a greater feeling of individual contentment. SAŽETAK Uvod: Na kvalitet života osoba koje boluju od shizofrenije utiče mnogo faktora istovremeno. Kod pacijenata u institucionalnom smeštaju adekvatan izbor antipsihotika i intezitet neželjenih dejstva lekova ima veliki uticaj na kvalitet života ovih pacijenata. Cilj ove studije je bio da se utvrdi uticaj faktora vezanih za antipsihotike na kvalitet života pacijenata koji boluju od shizofrenije. Metode: Istraživanjem je obuhvaćeno ukupno 102 korisnika Zavoda za smeštaj odraslih lica „Male Pčelice” Kragujevac. Korisnici su ispitani u samo jednom izabranom danu korišćenjem upitnika Svetske zdravstvene organizacije. Određeni podaci su prikupljeni iz zdravstvenih kartona korisnika. Poređene su grupe korisnika koji koriste samo apitičan ili tipičan antipsihotik ili kombinaciju ove dve grupe antipsihotika. Rezultati: Korisnici koji koriste samo atipičan antipsihotik imaju bolji skor fi zičkog zdravlja od korisnika koji koriste kombinaciju antipsihotika (77,14 vs. 68,57; U = 332,0; p = 0,02). Postoji statistički značajna razlika u skoru domena psihičkog zdravlja u zavisnosti od grupe antipsihotika koji je korisniku propisan (31,96 vs. 55,27 vs. 49,46; c2 = 7,02; p = 0,03). Zaključak: Korisnici ustanove za dugotrajan smeštaj psihijatrijskih bolesnika koji primaju apitične antipsihotike imaju bolji kvalitet života u odnosu na pacijente koji primaju tipične antipsihotike, verovatno zbog manje izraženih neželjenih dejstava atipičnih antipsihotika i boljeg osećaja subjektivnog zadovoljstva.