Family member quality of life and loved ones with early psychosis and substance use
Patrick Kelly (1), Julie M. McCarthy (1,2)
Division of Psychotic Disorders, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA
Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Abstract
Background: Families living with psychosis can experience lower quality of life. A loved one’s clinical status (e.g., psychiatric hospitalizations) may negatively impact family members’ quality of life, and substance use is one modifiable factor that is associated with increased likelihood of hospitalization. However, it is unclear the extent to which recent substance use and family members’ perceptions of a loved one’s substance use impact family members’ quality of life in early psychosis beyond recency of hospitalization, and the present project examines this question.
Methods: As part of a larger clinical trial, at baseline, family members (N = 23) of loved ones with early psychosis (<6 years) and recent alcohol or cannabis use (within the past 30 days) completed the World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and questions about their loved one’s last hospitalization, past 30-day most problematic substance use, and perceived seriousness of such use. The WHOQOL-BREF includes physical, psychological, social relationships, and environmental domains. Linear regression models by domain characterized the relationship between loved ones’ past 30-day most problematic substance use, family’s perceived seriousness of substance use, and days since last hospitalization.
Results: Neither past 30-day most problematic substance use nor perceived seriousness of the loved one’s substance use predicted family members’ quality of life (p>.05). There was a trend relationship between more time since a loved one’s last hospitalization and better physical quality of life, but this was not significant (p=.087). The remaining quality of life domains were not significant.
Conclusion: Though substance use of a loved one with early psychosis continues to be a concern for clients, family, and clinicians, substances alone may not be a direct determinant of a family member’s quality of life. Instead, the potential consequences of substance use, such as hospitalization, may have greater influence on family members’ quality of life.