Occupation, social support and quality of life in persons with schizophrenic or affective disorders

Rüesch, Peter; Graf, Janine; Meyer, Peter C.; Rössler, Wulf; Hell, Daniel

doi:10.1007/s00127-004-0812-y

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	Occupation, social support and quality of life in persons with schizophrenic or affective disorders
Authors:	Rüesch, Peter Graf, Janine Meyer, Peter C. Rössler, Wulf Hell, Daniel
DOI:	10.1007/s00127-004-0812-y
Published in:	Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Volume(Issue):	39
Issue:	9
Page(s):	686
Pages to:	694
Issue Date:	Sep-2004
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	Springer
ISSN:	0933-7954 1433-9285
Language:	English
Subject (DDC):	331: Labor economics 616.89: Mental disorders, clinical psychology and psychiatry
Abstract:	Most people suffering from severe mental illness (SMI) lack paid employment. This study investigates the relationship between work status and objective as well as subjective quality of life (QoL) in people with SMI. Methods The sample consists of 261 subjects (102 women, 159 men) aged 35 (men) and 38 (women) years on average, of whom 158 suffer from a schizophrenic disorder (ICD-10: F2) and 103 were diagnosed as having an affective disorder (ICD-10: F3). Subjective QoL was assessed with the WHOQOL-BREF scale. Results Subjects with an occupation in general have a larger social network at their disposal and receive more social support. With regard to income, few (12%) of the subjects with a job on the open labour market live below the poverty level, but many (28-38%) of those engaged in sheltered or other work-like activities do. Occupation ameliorates satisfaction with life domains referring to social integration (social relationships, environment), whereas the individual’s well-being (psychological, physical) is hardly affected. Social support is an important mediator of the relationship between occupation and subjective QoL. Income is weakly and negatively related to subjective QoL. Conclusions Supportive relationships to colleagues at the workplace mainly explain the better subjective QoL of SMI people with an occupation. When designing specific employment possibilities for people with SMI, we should take notice of the social support dimension at the workplace. Mentally ill people have a substantial poverty risk, even when they are working. In particular, payment for sheltered work should be ameliorated.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/3809
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	Licence according to publishing contract
Departement:	School of Health Sciences
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Public Health (IPH)
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Gesundheit

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Rüesch, P., Graf, J., Meyer, P. C., Rössler, W., & Hell, D. (2004). Occupation, social support and quality of life in persons with schizophrenic or affective disorders. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 39(9), 686–694. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-004-0812-y

Rüesch, P. et al. (2004) ‘Occupation, social support and quality of life in persons with schizophrenic or affective disorders’, Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 39(9), pp. 686–694. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-004-0812-y.

P. Rüesch, J. Graf, P. C. Meyer, W. Rössler, and D. Hell, “Occupation, social support and quality of life in persons with schizophrenic or affective disorders,” Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, vol. 39, no. 9, pp. 686–694, Sep. 2004, doi: 10.1007/s00127-004-0812-y.

RÜESCH, Peter, Janine GRAF, Peter C. MEYER, Wulf RÖSSLER und Daniel HELL, 2004. Occupation, social support and quality of life in persons with schizophrenic or affective disorders. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. September 2004. Bd. 39, Nr. 9, S. 686–694. DOI 10.1007/s00127-004-0812-y

Rüesch, Peter, Janine Graf, Peter C. Meyer, Wulf Rössler, and Daniel Hell. 2004. “Occupation, Social Support and Quality of Life in Persons with Schizophrenic or Affective Disorders.” Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 39 (9): 686–94. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-004-0812-y.

Rüesch, Peter, et al. “Occupation, Social Support and Quality of Life in Persons with Schizophrenic or Affective Disorders.” Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, vol. 39, no. 9, Sept. 2004, pp. 686–94, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-004-0812-y.