BSRS-5 (5-item Brief Symptom Rating Scale) scores affect every aspect of quality of life measured by WHOQOL-BREF in healthy workers

PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate and quantify the possible effect of psychological symptoms on healthy workers’ quality of life (QOL). METHODS: The workers were recruited from a factory in south Taiwan. We assessed their psychological symptoms with a 5-item brief symptom rating scale (BSRS-5) and measured the QOL using the Taiwanese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-BREF. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to explore the association between the two tools after control of confounding by other predictors. RESULTS: A total of 1,080 workers, who attended a physical examination, completed questionnaires and informed consent forms. Scores on the BSRS-5 significantly predicted scores in each domain and items of the WHOQOL-BREF. The magnitude of psychological domain score seemed to be affected the most; every 1 point increase in BSRS-5 was associated with a 0.39 raw score (equivalent to 2.44 percentile) decrease in QOL. The sleep facet of WHOQOL appeared to have the highest association, followed by items of negative feelings, energy, and concentration. CONCLUSIONS: The BSRS-5 score is predictive for scores of all four domains and 26 items of the Taiwanese version of the WHOQOL-BREF for regular factory workers.