This study is descriptive research describing quality of life and symptom selfmanagement of patients with bipolar disorder. The sample was 100 patients with bipolar disorder in the partial remission phase. (< 10 on the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), <_ 11 on the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)). The samples were outpatients at Siriraj Hospital and Ramathibodi Hospital. They were selected by purposive sampling method. The research instrument was an interview questionnaire consisting of questions concerning demographic information, Short form 36 Health Survey (Ware, 1993) for the measurement of quality of life and The Moller- Murphy Symptom Management Assessment Tool (Murphy & Moller, 1993) for the measurement of symptom self-management. Data were analyzed by using percentage, means and standard deviation. The results revealed that the two highest mean scores of quality of life were physical functioning (M=96.70, SD=1.65) and social functioning (M=94.37, SD=1.02). The two lowest mean scores of quality of life were role-emotional (M=58.33, SD=1.46) and general health (M=61.81, SD=2.85). The overall frequency and perceived efficacy of symptom self-management was at a fairly low level. The strategy of symptom self-management most frequently used was distraction (M=1.73, SD=.37) and most perceived efficacy was help-seeking (M=2.15, SD=.26). The results recommended that health care providers in the hospital should be take the data of quality of life into account when planning holistic care for patients with bipolar disorder and should encourage symptom self-management in patients with bipolar disorder.

Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing มหาวิทยาลัยมหิดล ปี 2550

of, Patients, Bipolar, disorder, Quality, SYMPTOM, life, WITH, SELF-MANAGEMENT/