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Henian Chen, MD, PhD; Patricia Cohen, PhD; Stephanie Kasen, PhD; Jeffrey G. Johnson, PhD; Kathy Berenson, PhD; Kathy Gordon

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2006;160:93-99.

Objective  To investigate associations of mental disorders and physical illnesses during adolescence with quality of life (QOL) 17 years later.

Design  The Children in the Community Study, a prospective longitudinal investigation.

Setting  Upstate New York.

Participants  A community-based sample of mothers and their offspring were interviewed.

Main Outcome Measures  Axis I disorders and Axis II personality disorders and physical illnesses were assessed by self-report and mother report in 1985-1986. Outcome indicators of QOL were assessed in 2001-2004.

Results  Compared with participants without adolescent illness or disorder, those with a history of physical illness reported poorer physical health (mean difference [MD], –4.8); those with a history of an Axis I disorder reported poorer physical health (MD, –8.0) and more problematic social relationships (MD, –4.5); and those with a history of personality disorder reported poorer physical health (MD, –8.2), more problematic social relationships (MD, –5.0), lower psychological well-being (MD, –3.6), and more adversity within their environmental context (MD, –4.6) in adulthood. Comorbid physical illness and mental disorder were associated with all 5 QOL domains (MD, –3.1 to –11.9). After adjusting for all demographic variables and comorbidity, associations remained between physical illness and poor physical health (effect size [ES], –0.33); an Axis I disorder and problematic social relationships (ES, –0.37); and personality disorder and problematic social relationships (ES, –0.36), low psychological well-being (ES, –0.23), impaired role function (ES, –0.24), and an adverse environmental context (ES, –0.50).

Conclusions  Mental disorders may have more adverse long-term associations with QOL than do physical illnesses. Adolescent personality disorders may have a more adverse impact on adult QOL than do adolescent Axis I disorders.

Author Affiliations: Epidemiology of Mental Disorders, New York State Psychiatric Institute (Drs Chen, Cohen, Kasen, Johnson, and Berenson and Ms Gordon), and Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons (Drs Chen, Cohen, Kasen, Johnson, and Berenson), and Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health (Drs Chen and Cohen), Columbia University, New York, NY.

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