Quality of life in elderly bipolar disorder patients

Context: Bipolar disorder (BD) in elderly individuals is a prevalent and disabling condition. The disorder also has an impact on the quality of life (QoL). However, very few studies have systematically examined the magnitude of QoL impairments in bipolar patients, especially in the older age group. Aims: The objective was to study the QoL and its correlation with sociodemographic factors and clinical variables in elderly BD patients. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was done in the psychiatry department at a tertiary hospital. Subjects and Methods: We examined QoL scores of 100 elderly (age range: 60–82 years) patients with BD on regular maintenance treatment for 1 year. Psychopathology was assessed using the Young Mania Rating Scale and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D). QoL was assessed using QoL scale (World Health Organization QOL [WHO-BREF). Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was used, and analysis of variables was done using unpaired t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: Female patients had significantly lower scores on physical and psychological domains in the WHO quality of life-BREF scale (P < 0.01). The unmarried/divorced/widowed population had lower QoL scores in the physical and social relationships domains (P < 0.01). Patients with lower socioeconomic status had lower QoL scores on physical and environmental domains of QoL (P < 0.05). There was significant negative correlation between the QoL and the total number of episodes (P < 0.05; R2 = 0.09) and between the QoL and duration of illness (P < 0.05; R2 = 0.05). Higher HAM-D scores were associated with poor QoL (P < 0.05; R2 = 0.07). Conclusions: This study offers insight into patterns of QoL in BD in the elderly. The study concludes that the duration of illness and the total number of episodes have a significant negative impact on QoL. Furthermore, undercurrent depressive features can be overlooked, leading to decline in the QoL.