Yi Ying Chou
National Yang Ming University, Taiwan
Title: Gender as a moderator of the relationship between anxiety symptoms and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia
Biography
Biography: Yi Ying Chou
Abstract
Background: Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness. Some studies indicated anxiety symptoms are more critical than other symptoms of schizophrenic patients and can affect patients’ quality of life. In addition, there has been little research on the role of gender in the relationship between anxiety symptoms and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia.
Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between anxiety symptoms and quality of life in schizophrenic patients. This study examined gender as a moderator of the above- mentioned relationship.
Methods: The participants included 328 patients with schizophrenia. Their anxiety symptoms were evaluated by the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The items measuring quality of life were evaluated by the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaires. Gender was included in a moderated regression analysis for predicting quality of life.
Results: The participants of 328 patients with schizophrenia found 111 (33.8%) suffered from anxiety symptoms. The results demonstrated that anxiety symptoms are negatively correlated with physical health and psychological dimensions of quality of life in schizophrenic patients. The results also indicated that gender moderated the relationships between anxiety symptoms and physical health/ psychological dimensions of quality of life. Besides, the relationships were stronger for males than females.
Conclusion: Anxiety symptoms are important factors affecting the quality of life in schizophrenic patients in Taiwan. In addition, gender of patients affects the relationship between anxiety symptoms and quality of life in schizophrenic patients.