Patient-rated mental health needs and quality of life improvement.

Abstract

Patient-rated unmet need is cross-sectionally associated with quality of life. Its longitudinal relationship has not been established. To test the hypotheses that: (a) higher patient-rated unmet need is associated with lower individual quality of life assessments by a patient over time; and (b) reduction in patient-rated unmet need precedes improvement in quality of life. One hundred and one individuals using adult mental health services were asked to complete 6-monthly questionnaires, comprising quality of life (Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life, MANSA) and unmet need (Camberwell Assessment of Need Short Appraisal Schedule, CANSAS) assessments. Seventy-three participants provided 240 separate pairs of consecutive assessments. Random effects regression models indicated an impact on current quality of life for both average level of unmet need (B= -0.23, 95% CI -0.29 to -0.17) and change in unmet need over the past month (B= -0.04, 95% CI -0.02). Changes in patient-rated unmet needs may cause changes in quality of life.