Personal and social functioning and satisfaction with life in schizophrenia outpatients with and without sleep disturbances

Abstract

Background: Patients with schizophrenia often present sleep complaints which have been related to poor patient quality of life. Physiologic sleep, compatible with work routines is necessary, and may translate into better social functioning, engagement in rehabilitation strategies, and satisfaction with life. Methods: In this cross-sectional, non-interventional study, 811 adult outpatients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were divided into two groups according to the presence (or absence) of sleep disturbances, and assessed using measures of symptom severity, quality and patterns of sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index - PSQI), personal and social functioning, and satisfaction with life. Results: Patients with sleep disturbances were significantly more symptomatic, and revealed worse quality of sleep on all componentes of the PSQI (p<0.0001), as compared to patients without sleep disturbances. Patients with sleep disturbances presented significantly worse personal and social functioning and satisfaction with life in all domains. Satisfaction with life of patients with sleep disturbances caregivers was also significantly worse in all domains. Personal and social functioning was significantly correlated with sleep quality (r=-0.23328, p<0.0001), indicating that patients with worse quality of sleep have lower levels of functioning in every domain of functioning (p<0.01). Quality of sleep was also significantly correlated with patients and caregivers satisfaction in all domains (p<0.01). Conclusions:Our findings show that schizophrenia patients reporting sleep disturbances present greater symptom severity and worse personal and social functioning. Moreover, both patients with sleep disturbances and their caregivers, report worse satisfaction with life.