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Factors associating with activity of daily living of adults with schizophrenia in a residential rehabilitation setting: Results from a cross-sectional study
Date Issued
2014
Publisher
Hong Kong Academy of Medicine Press
ISSN
2078-9947
Citation
Wan, A. H. Y., Tam, S. Y. Y., Siu, J. C. Y., Chan, C. K. P., Wong, C. P. K., Au-Yeung, F. S. W., & Ho, R. T. H. (2014). Factors associating with activity of daily living of adults with schizophrenia in a residential rehabilitation setting: Results from a cross-sectional study. In East Asian Archives of Psychiatry (Ed.). East Asian archives of psychiatry: World psychiatric association (WPA) regional congress 2014: Yin and yang of mental health in Asia — balancing polarities. World Psychiatric Association (WPA) Regional Congress 2014, Hong Kong (pp.72-73). Hong Kong Academy of Medicine Press.
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
Objectives: The ability to live independently is an important aspect of rehabilitation of schizophrenia. This study aimed to explore the factors associating with independent daily living
of adults with schizophrenia.
Methods: Adopting a cross-sectional study design, 146 schizophrenic patients (80 men and 66 female, aged 24-69 years, mean age = 53.97 years) living in a residential care setting were interviewed. Variables measured included negative symptoms (measured by the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale [PANSS]), self-perceived stress (measured by the Self-Perceived Stress Scale [PSS]), daily functioning (measured by the Bartha’s index of Activity of Daily Living [ADL]), and demographic data.
Results: Results showed that level of ADL was negatively associated with age (β = –0.204, p ≤ 0.05) and perceived stress (β = –0.382, p ≤ 0.01); and positively associated with the dominance of positive symptoms (β = 2.17, p ≤ 0.05). Higher level of daily living functioning was associated with those who were of younger age, self-perceived as less stressful, and those who experienced predominantly positive symptoms.
Conclusions: The ability to live independently is associated with younger, lower stress level, and the predominance of positive symptoms over negative symptoms. The findings might be due to the fact that negative symptoms are associated with cognitive deficient, which impairs tasks of independent
daily living. Unlike positive symptoms, which can be easily managed by medication, management of negative symptoms requires timely psycho-social care. The findings imply the need for a paradigm shift in rehabilitation; whereas priority has to be given to management of negative symptoms.
References
1. Brown S, Birtwistle J, Roe L, Thompson C. The unhealthy lifestyle of people with schizophrenia. Psychol Med 1999;29:697-701.
2. The negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Available from: http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update0706c.shtml.
Acknowledgement
The body of work is supported by the Research Grants Council (HKU/744912).
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