Quality of life of ‘normal’ controls: Association with lifetime history of mental illness

Abstract

This study assessed the perceived quality of life of individuals who were not in treatment for a psychiatric disorder and who were volunteers for a program to recruit control subjects.

The Measurement of Health-Related Quality of Life in a Population with Generalized Anxiety Disorder – Findings from the QUEST Study

“…Adjusted scores were similar to unadjusted scores and demonstrated equal levels of statistical significance. Again, all of these groups' mean Q-LES-Q(SF) scores were much lower that those found among any Q-LES-Q(SF) norming subgroups (Schechter et al 2007). …”

“…Differences in mean scores between those with moderate or greater impairment and those with less than moderate impairment exceeded 1 SD at the 3-and 6-month periods, with statistically significant differences at all 3 time points (P<.0001). Adjusted scores remained similar to the unadjusted scores, and demonstrated the same levels of statistical significance (P<.0001), and all of these groups' mean Q-LES-Q(SF) scores were much lower than any control subgroups (Schechter et al 2007). Unadjusted Q-LES-Q(SF) mean scores by 4 more refined HAM-A score severity groups ( Fig.…”

“…Mean adjusted and unadjusted Q-LES-Q(SF) scores were similar (Table 4), with those above the 5.70 threshold reporting higher Q-LES-Q(SF) unadjusted mean scores of 61.12, 64.53 and 64.56 at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months, respectively, while those with scores below the threshold had unadjusted mean scores of 49.93, 49.66, and 49.48 at the baseline, 3-month and 6-month periods, with all differences between the 2 groups at the 3 time points nearing, if not exceeding, the 1 SD threshold. All of these groups' mean Q-LES-Q(SF) scores were much lower than NMI, MMD, CNMI, and CMI norming subgroups (Schechter et al 2007), indicating the important burden on overall QOL and satisfaction related to various areas of functioning among patients with GAD. Abbreviations: Q-LES-Q(SF), Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form; HAM-A, Hamilton Anxiety Scale-Anxiety; GAD-Q-IV, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-IV; PHQ-8, Patient Health Questionnaire; SDS, Sheehan Disability Scale; SD, standard deviation Table 4.…”

“…The Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q), in both the long and short form (Q-LES-Q(SF)), is a widely used instrument for measuring QOL and satisfaction. Originally developed for use in clinical trials and among trial participants with a wide variety of mental and medical diseases or disorders (Endicott et al 1993), it has been shown to offer high internal consistency, validity and reproducibility in non-psychiatric populations and in patients with a range of psychiatric illnesses (Endicott et al 1993;Ritsner et al 2005;Rossi et al 2005;Endicott et al 2006;Schechter et al 2007;Mick et al 2008;Revicki et al 2008). Thus, the Q-LES-Q(SF) is a PRO measure that has the potential to extend and complement clinical efficacy endpoints and demonstrate the impact of alleviating GAD symptoms on patients' everyday functioning.…”

“…Mean values for each of the groups were also compared to the Q-LES-Q(SF) norming values described in Schechter et al (Schechter et al 2007). In that investigation, controls were classified as never mentally ill (NMI); minor mental disorders only (MMD); currently not mentally ill (CNMI) with a history of mental illness that did not meet criteria for the MMD category; and currently mentally ill (CMI) with other than 1 specific phobia.…”