Background: Numerous studies have explored the dysfunction experienced by patients and their families due to psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. However, there is a paucity of research comparing schizophrenia with neurotic disorders like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Aim: To assess and compare disability, quality of life (QoL), and family burden in treatment naïve patients with schizophrenia and OCD. Materials and Methods: A comparative study including 50 treatment naïve patients with schizophrenia and 50 with OCD. Severity of symptoms was evaluated by Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale in schizophrenia and by Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale in OCD. All subjects were assessed using Indian Disability Evaluation and Assessment Scale (IDEAS), 36-Item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36), Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBIS), and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale. Results: Regarding disability, a significant difference was observed in all domains and the global score of IDEAS, with higher scores in schizophrenia, except in the work domain. QoL also had significantly poor scores in both groups and within themselves; schizophrenia showed poorer QoL in all the domains. Regarding family burden, a significant difference was observed in all domains of FBIS, more in schizophrenia except in domain of disruption of routine family activities. Conclusion: Treatment naïve patients with schizophrenia and OCD have significant impairment in overall functioning, OCD being comparable to schizophrenia. This study shows the need of early identification and intervention to reduce disability and family burden and to improve QoL in these disorders.
Patel et al. (Thu,) studied this question.