Quality of life and marital adjustment in spouses of schizophrenia patients

BACKGROUND: With the availability of potent antipsychotics, the prognosis of schizophrenia has improved. As a result, there is increasing interest in assessing the quality of life (QOL) and marital adjustment of patients with schizophrenia. However, there is a paucity of Indian data in this area. AIM: To evaluate and compare the QOL and marital adjustment in spouses of patients with schizophrenia and controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional, hospital-based study comprised of consenting female individuals of the age group of 20–40 years. The study group included 30 spouses of male patients with schizophrenia (according to ICD 10-DCR) and control group included 30 age-matched spouses of male participants without psychiatric disorders. The participants were selected from the psychiatry ward and outpatient department and neighboring areas of the Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Pune, India. Only couples married for at least 5 years were included in the study. Wives with a history of any major psychiatric or major medical disorders were excluded. All the participants were evaluated with a sociodemographic data sheet, the World Health Organization QOL (WHOQOL)-BREF, and the Marital Adjustment Questionnaire. The statistical analysis was done using descriptive frequency, Chi-square, and Mann–Whitney U-test. RESULTS: Wives of patients with schizophrenia had significantly lower scores on psychological, social, and environmental domains of WHOQOL BREF and on sexual adjustment, social adjustment, emotional adjustment, and total score on the marital adjustment questionnaire as compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Wives of patients with schizophrenia have lower QOL and marital adjustment compared to controls.