Quality of Life in Elderly Patients with Cluster C Personality Disorder

Introduction: Epidemiological studies have found reduced health-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with personality disorders (PDs), but few clinical studies have examined QoL in elderly patients with cluster C PDs. Our objective was to evaluate QoL in elderly patients with cluster C PDs admitted to the Psychiatric Clinic No II Tîrgu Mureș in all four domains related to QoL: physical health, psychological health, social relationships and environment.
Material and method: Elderly patients with cluster C PDs filled in the World Health Organization Quality of life (WHOQoL-Bref). An independent psychiatrist diagnosed cluster C PDs and Axis-I disorders by structured interviews (SCID II) and rated the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF).
Results: Cluster C PD patients showed high co-morbidity with Axis I mental disorders, and they scored significantly lower on all the WHOQol dimensions. The WHOQoL physical health and social functioning were significantly associated with the GAF.
Conclusions: Elderly people with a cluster C PD have globally poor QoL and were more vulnerable to late-life distress, especially those with more than one diagnosis. In keeping with the results, widowhood, divorce hood, and living alone appear to be variables able to negatively influence QoL in this population.