Quality of Life and Suicidality in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder as Evaluated by WHO BREF

ABSTRACT

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic, distressing, anxiety disorder associated with significant functional impairment. Patient with OCD often suffer from one or more co-morbid disorders. Major depression has been the most common co-morbid syndrome. OCD in association with comorbid depressive and anxiety symptoms, increased severity of obsessions, feelings of hopelessness and past history of suicide attempts have been associated with worsening levels of suicidality. As per data Thirty-six percent of the patients of OCD report lifetime suicidal thoughts and 11% have a history of attempted suicide. There is a reasonable probability that the patient of OCD has suicidal thoughts, plans or a suicidal attempt in the past. Methods: This study was conducted on 50 patients diagnosed with OCD as per ICD 10 criteria, both outpatient & indoor, from department of psychiatry, Teerthanker Mahaveer Medical College & Hospital, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. A socio-demographic proforma, Hamilton Depression rating scale, Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale and WHOQOL-BREF-Hindi version were administered. Results: The majority of the patients suffering from OCD were below 40 years of age. The prevalence of OCD was maximum in housewives and they mostly belonged to 25-34 years age group. All the patients who had current suicidal ideation showed low scores on all the domains of Quality of life. Also, the patients who had attempted suicide in the past showed same low scores on all domains of Quality of life and both results were statistically significant. Conclusion: Hence the assessment of Quality of life in OCD patient is a strong predictor of suicidality in these patients