Time use among individuals with persistent mental illness: identifying risk factors for imbalance in daily activities

The aim of this study was to investigate associations between time use in daily activities and sociodemographic and clinical factors in order to identify individuals with persistent mental illness at risk of having an imbalance in daily activities, as reflected in their time use and daily rhythm. Participants (n = 103) were selected from a psychiatric outpatient unit using a randomized stratified selection procedure. The main findings indicated that time spent in daily activities increased with age, and that older individuals more often had a beneficial daily rhythm. Women and individuals living with children spent more time on self-care/self-maintenance than men and individuals living without children. Individuals with a diagnosis of psychosis spent less total time in daily activities than individuals with non-psychosis. In conclusion, general psychiatric symptoms, such as self-blame, anxiety, and difficulties in cooperating with others, explained most of the risk of spending little time in work/education as well as the risk of spending long periods asleep and having an adverse daily rhythm. A diagnosis of psychosis and high levels of general symptoms together explained most of the risk of having low total time use in activity. Factors such as age and living with children or not seemed to be important factors in relation to time use and daily rhythm.