Linked Life Data

9727962

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/9727962

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
1998-11-2
pubmed:abstractText
There is a growing recognition of the importance of quantifying the impact of illness on functional abilities. Measures of function frequently rely on a self-report. Few studies have directly assessed functional capacity in psychiatric patients, especially older ones who may be at an increased risk for disability. Subjects were 102 middle-aged and elderly outpatients with DSM-III-R or DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, and 66 normal comparison subjects, ranging in age from 45 to 86. The Direct Assessment of Functional Status (DAFS), a standardized measure of behavior during simulated daily activity tasks (i.e. time orientation, communication, transportation, finance, shopping, grooming and eating) was used to quantify levels of disability. Schizophrenic patients demonstrated significantly greater disability than normal subjects. An evaluation of specific behaviors indicated that the patients were significantly more limited than comparison subjects across all subscales of the DAFS except for grooming and eating. A lower level of formal education, greater severity of extrapyramidal symptoms, and greater cognitive deficits, but not severity of symptoms of schizophrenia, were related to lower DAFS scores. Relative to published findings, schizophrenic patients appeared more disabled than outpatients with major depression, but less disabled than those with Alzheimer's disease. The DAFS is a useful instrument for characterizing functional abilities in older patients with schizophrenia. Our findings of significant functional disability in older schizophrenic patients have implications for treatment as well as allocation of health-care resources.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jul
pubmed:issn
0165-1781
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
27
pubmed:volume
80
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
41-52
pubmed:dateRevised
2008-4-17
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1998
pubmed:articleTitle
Correlates of functional status in older patients with schizophrenia.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego Geriatric Psychiatry Clinical Research Center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center 92093-0680, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.