Sedentary behavior and quality of life in people with psychotic disorders from a low income country: a study from Uganda

Abstract

The current study examined the impact of sedentary behaviour (SB) on quality of life (QoL) in people with psychotic disorders. Thirty-six Ugandan women (mean age = 33.9 ± 8.0 years) and 23 men (37.4 ± 11.8 years) with a DSM 5 diagnosis of psychosis completed the World Health Organization Quality of Life—Brief version and Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire (SIMPAQ). Medication use, physical co-morbidities, weight, height, blood pressure and smoking habits were recorded. Multiple regression analyses were undertaken. Variability in SIMPAQ sedentary and walking scores explained 56% of the variability in psychological QoL, while variability in SIMPAQ walking explained 46% of the variability in physical QoL. Health care professionals should not only consider increasing physical activity but also reducing SB to improve QoL in their patients.