Telangana Journal of Psychiatry (Jan 2020)

Quality of life in Bipolar affective disorder: Relationship with demographic and clinical variables

  • Malini Govinadan,
  • Fiaz Ahmed Sattar,
  • K Kiran Kumar,
  • B Swapna,
  • V P Venugopal

DOI
https://doi.org/10.18231/j.tjp.2020.010
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 1
pp. 47 – 57

Abstract

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Background and Objectives: Bipolar Affective Disorder (BPAD) is a complex, episodic and heterogeneous condition leading to impairment of Quality of life (Qol). The current study was undertaken with the aim to assess the Quality of Life of patients with Bipolar Affective Disorder, compare it with general population and to examine the correlation of socio-demographic and clinical variables with the Quality of Life. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional case-control study. Hundred consecutive patients diagnosed to have BPAD as per ICD-10 currently euthymic who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria and gave informed consent were included for the study. Fifty healthy controls were selected from the general population after clinical interview. Subjects were administered YMRS and HAM-D followed by assessment of QoL using WHOQOL-BREF (World Health Organization Quality of Life –Brief version). The data was analysed using SPSS package version 15.0. Results: Comparison of the four domain scores of WHOQOL-BREF showed that BPAD patients Qol was significantly impaired than the healthy controls (Physical health, p<0.0001; Psychological, p<0.0001; Social relationships, p<0.0003 and Environmental, p<0.0004). In comparison to healthy controls, the overall perception of QoL (Q1) and overall perception of health (Q2) was significantly lower in the BPAD patients (Q1, p =0.003 and Q2, p<0.001). Socio-demographic variables like marital status, type of family, educational status and place of residence had a significant impact on the QoL. Among the clinical variables assessed, early age of onset, number of depressive episodes, HAM-D scores, number of previous hospitalizations and suicidal attempts had a significant negative correlation with QoL. The time elapsed since the last episode had a significant positive correlation with the QoL indicating that longer euthymic period was associated with better QoL. Conclusion: The emerging body of research has shown that the BPAD has a negative effect on the QoL even during periods of euthymia and remission. A number of socio-demographic and clinical variables have a bearing on the QoL of patients with BPAD.

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