Differences on Quality of Life of Patients with Schizophrenia: A Multicentric Study from Three Latin-America...

The aim of the study is to explore the variation on patient's Quality of Life (QoL) across three Latin-Americans countries. The study included 253 stabilized outpatients with schizophrenia from three Mental Health Services in Bolivia (N = 83), Chile (N = 85) and Peru (N = 85). Patients' were assessed using Schizophrenia Quality of Life Questionnaire (SQoL18). We collected socio-demographic information and clinical data, while recognizing the cultural complexity/dynamics of each country, and the influence of cultural contexts on how people experience the health systems. There are differences in QoL according to each country. Peru reports better levels of QoL at the Total Score Index and in most of the dimensions of the SQoL18. Bolivia shows the lowest indicators of QoL, except, interestingly, for the Resilience dimension where it reaches the highest scores. Even when the studied regions in the three Latin American countries share several cultural characteristics, there are also some important differences between them on patients' QoL. Possible disparities at investment in mental health by the Governments of each country are discussed while possible influences of (inter)cultural contexts are taken into account.