The association between needs and quality of life in an epidemiologically representative sample of people with psychosis

The impact of meeting needs on quality of life in the severely mentally ill is investigated in this study. An epidemiologically representative sample of 133 patients meeting ICD-10 criteria for psychosis completed standardize d instruments for measuring needs and quality of life. Covariance structure modelling was used to investigate the extent to which latent factors of me t and unmet need were associated with latent quality of life. Patients rate d about 0.7 more total (met plus unmet) needs than staff, mainly due to dif ferences in rating unmet need. Patient ratings were more reliable than rati ngs by others of unmet need and quality of life. Both underlying unmet need and met need were negatively associated with underlying quality of life, b ut unmet need was the stronger relationship. The patient's perspective on t heir difficulties (especially their unmet needs) must be central to mental health care.