Depression severity mediates stigma and quality of life in clinically stable people with schizophrenia in rural China

Abstract

Background Depressive symptoms associated with schizophrenia are closely related to stigma and quality of life(QOL). There is, however, no thorough research on the connection between the three. This study sought to investigate the possible factors influencing depressive symptoms in people with schizophrenia (PWS) in rural Chaohu, China, and to further explore the role of depression severity in stigma and lifestyle quality. Methods Eight hundred twenty-one schizophrenia patients accomplished the entire scale, including the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Social Impact Scale (SIS), and the World Health Organization on Quality of Life Brief Scale(WHOQOL—BREF). A straightforward mediation model was employed to determine if the intensity of the depression could act as a mediator between stigma and QOL. Results Two hundred seventy-nine schizophrenia patients (34%) had depressive symptoms (PHQ ≥ 10), and 542 patients (66%) did not (PHQ < 10). Logistic regression showed that marital status, job status, physical exercise, standard of living, and stigma contributed to the depressed symptoms of schizophrenia. Depression severity partially mediated the effect between stigma and QOL, with a mediating effect of 48.3%. Conclusions This study discovered a significant incidence of depressed symptoms associated with schizophrenia, with depression severity serving as a mediator variable connecting stigma and QOL and partially moderating the association.

Shanghai Community-Based Schizophrenia Cohort (SCS): a protocol for establishing a longitudinal cohort and research database of patients with schizophrenia receiving community-based mental health treatment

“…The eligibility criteria are as follows: (1) received either an outpatient or inpatient diagnosis of schizophrenia in accordance with the International Classification of Diseases (10th edition) (ICD-10) criteria within the past 3 years; (2) aged between 18 and 65 years; (3) IQ >70 as measured by the short form of the Wechsler Adults Intelligence Scale-IV; and (4) clinically stable and provided informed consent. According to previous studies, a current clinically stable state was defined as no exacerbation of psychotic symptoms or less than a 50% change in the dose of any primary psychotropic medication for the previous 3 months 29 30. The exclusion criteria will be as follows: (1) history of head injury and/or a neurological condition; (2) a history of head trauma with loss of consciousness; (3) pregnancy; (4) history of illicit drug abuse; (5) low level of proficiency with the Chinese language and lacked cooperativeness with the assessment; and (6) not living in Shanghai or planning to leave and settle down in other cities within 6 months.…”