Quality of life and mood disorder episodes: Community sample

Abstract Objective To assess quality of life among Brazilian young adults who are 18–24 years old and who experience depressive, manic/hypomanic, and mixed episodes. Method This is a cross-sectional population-based study. The sample was selected in clusters. Mood disorders were assessed using a short, structured diagnostic interview—the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) for DSM-IV and ICD-10 psychiatric disorders. Quality of life was assessed by the MOS 36-item Short-form General Health Survey (SF-36). Results The sample comprised 1560 young adults. The prevalence ratio of mood disorder episodes were as follows: 10.0% depressive episode, 2.3% manic/hypomanic episode, and 2.4% mixed episode. Lower scores were found in all domains of quality of life among young adults who experience mood disorder episodes when compared to the general population ( p