The relationship between obsessive compulsive symptoms and quality of life in Nigerian patients with schizophrenia

Obsessive compulsive symptoms (OCS) are relatively common in schizophrenia. Their presence and severity can affect the quality of life (QoL) of schizophrenia patients.

This study aimed to determine the effect of OCS on the subjective QoL of the Nigerian outpatients with schizophrenia. It also determines the sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with OCS.

A cross-sectional study involving 232 patients with schizophrenia completed socio-demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire. OCS was examined with Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (OCI) and QoL was assessed using the brief version of the World Health Organisation Quality of Life questionnaire.

Most of the schizophrenia patients with OCS were unmarried, unemployed, had an earlier onset, longer duration of illness, and were on higher doses of antipsychotics. They reported lower QoL and more severity of symptoms of schizophrenia when compared to those without OCS. The OCI total and it's subscales had negative weak to moderate relationship with all the domains of the WHOQoL Bref. Being unemployed, dosage of antipsychotic medication, negative symptoms and OCI total were the predictors of the total quality of life among Nigerian schizophrenia patients.

OCS are very common and reduce QoL of schizophrenia patients. Hence, there is a need to routinely screen patients with schizophrenia for OCS and manage them appropriately.