Original Article Comparison of health related quality of life between bipolar patients

The aim of this research was comparison of bipolar patients’ quality of life with healthy population. This research was done on 100 bipolar patients whose euthymic state was documented by a psychiatrist. They were evaluated with use of quality of life-short form 36 questionnaire (QOL-SF-36). As control group, a control group which was selected from patients’ visitors and hospital staff was evaluated with this questionnaire. Data were analyzed using T-test and Pearson correlation coefficient. This study was done in psychiatric clinic of Shiraz Hafez Hospital in 2010-2011. Results show that patients are in a worse condition than normal population in aspects of quality of life such as” physical function (P=0.022), body pain (P<0.0001), general health (P<0.0001), social function (P<0.0001), and mental health (P<0.0001). In patients group, results of ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient show that females are in better state of vitality than males. Single and married patients are in better condition of emotional-role than those who are divorced (respectively P=0.013 and P=0.010). Not only bipolar patients’ quality of life is disturbed in manic and depressive episodes, but also in euthymic phase of the disorder, main domains of quality of life are affected.