THE QUALITY-OF-LIFE AND EMPLOYMENT IN PANIC DISORDER

Our purpose was to measure quality of life (QOL) and work productivity (WP) in persons with panic disorder. Eighty-four panic disorder patie nts with limited psychiatric comorbidity from ten U.S. outpatient ment al health centers were evaluated in a cross-sectional design. Patients self-administered the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Healt h Survey (SF-36) and Work Productivity and Impairment (WPAI) questionn aire. The independent effects of psychiatric comorbidity were addresse d through entry criteria, stratification, and regression analyses. QOL scores are significantly below age and sex-adjusted population norms on all SF-36 measures (p < .01). We note far greater impairment on mea sures of mental and emotional versus physical well-being. The unemploy ment rate among these patients is 25%, and only 57% are employed full- time. Those who are employed rated their WP as low. This sample of out patients suffer marked QOL and employment impairment, which is only pa rtially explained by the presence of psychiatric comorbidity.