A question of time: A study of time use in people with schizophrenia

Loss of functioning is a core feature associated with the diagnosis of schizophrenia. Several measures are used to asses this domain including activity measures assessing time use which has been demonstrated to be a valuable indicator of recovery. However there is limited information on the magnitude and the domains where time use may differ between people with schizophrenia and the general population.

One hundred and seventy people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and 1124 people from the general population were assessed and compared on the Time Use Survey. This estimates the time spent in everyday activities in ten domains. The influence of symptom severity and clinical variables on time-use was examined in people with schizophrenia.

People with schizophrenia spent less time in functional but also in social and leisure activities and more time resting and "doing nothing" compared to the general population. When compared with unemployed individuals and people with a physical disability, people with schizophrenia spent comparable time in functional activities but significantly less in leisure, socialising activities and travelling. Negative symptom severity was associated with time spent in passive activities and negatively influenced time in social and leisure activities.

Alongside significant effects on functional economic activities schizophrenia has also a profound impact on activities that make life enjoyable. Mapping time use will be a useful additional tool to assess progress towards recovery.