The Health and the Human Rights-Related Quality of Life of People with Severe Mental Illness in Taiwan

The purpose of this study was to examine human rights as predictors of a satisfactory psychiatric rehabilitation outcome for 207 individuals with severe mental illness in northern and southern Taiwan. One three-part questionnaire was administered to these individuals, which included a set of questions to capture socio-demographic information, items from the Health and Human Rights of Patients with Severe Mental Illness Scale and items from the Health-Related Quality of Life Scale. T-test, bivariate and simultaneous multiple regression were employed to analyse the collected data. This study found a significantly positive association between the self-awareness of human rights and satisfaction with mental and physical health-related quality of life (QoL). The perception of having their rights to interaction with family/friends and work respected significantly influenced the self-perceived satisfactory QoL of people with severe mental illness. The key to self-awareness and the promotion of rights is to foster a positive culture of healing created through the development of collaborative relationships between people with severe mental illness and health care providers. Further research may be needed to investigate the reason that these patients' rights continue to be devalued in Taiwan.