SCHIZOPHRENIA AND QUALITY-OF-LIFE - GENDE R-SPECIFIC ASPECTS

Empirical studies show that schizophrenic women and men differ in psyc hological as well as social characteristics. In women the course of il lness and objective life situation seem to be more favourable. In stud ies on the subjective quality of life in psychiatric patients, gender- specific aspects have hardly been considered so far. Some results indi cate that women - contrary to women of the general population - are mo re content than male psychiatric patients. The systematic inclusion of gender-specific aspects in quality of life studies might clarify how quality of life is influenced in psychiatric patients. It might also c ontribute to designing psychiatric care in a way that specific sources of satisfaction are made use of.