Abstract
Objective: To examine the impact of schizophrenia, its treatment and treatment-related adverse
events related to antipsychotics, on quality of life from the perspective of schizophrenia patients
and laypersons.
Methods: Health state descriptions for stable schizophrenia, extra pyramidal symptoms (EPS),
hyperprolactinemia, diabetes, weight gain and relapse were developed based on a review of the
literature and expert opinion. The quality of life impact of each health state was elicited using a time
trade-off instrument administered by interview to 49 stable schizophrenia patients and 75
laypersons. Regression techniques were employed to examine the importance of subject
characteristics on health-related utility scores.
Results: Patients and laypersons completed the interview in similar times. Stable schizophrenia had
the highest mean utility (0.87 and 0.92 for laypersons and patients respectively), while relapse (0.48
and 0.60) had the lowest mean utility. Of the treatment-related adverse events, EPS had the lowest
mean utility (0.57 and 0.72, respectively). Age, gender and PANSS score did not influence the utility
results independently of health state. On average, patient utilities are 0.077 points higher than
utilities derived from laypersons, although the ranking was similar between the two groups.
Conclusion: Events associated with schizophrenia and treatment of schizophrenia can bring about
a significant detriment in patient quality of life, with relapse having the largest negative impact.
Results indicate that patients with stable schizophrenia are less willing to trade years of life to avoid
schizophrenia-related symptoms compared to laypersons. Both sets of respondents showed equal
ability to complete the questionnaire.