and over) were more likely to report a deterioration in their SQOL, compared with younger participants (under 50 yr).. Deterioration in the SLDS score was found in participants living in supervised apartments or other types of supervised housing (group homes, foster homes), whereas stability was found in participants living in independent apartments.
There were marked difference between men and women, between users diagnosed with schizophrenia and other mental disorders, and between persons living in autonomous and in supervised apartments.
While all users in cluster 5 lived in supervised apartments, conversely almost all users in cluster 3 lived in autonomous apartments.
They were all single and poorly educated, and the majority were males receiving welfare and living mostly in supervised apartments or in other types of supervised housing.
This class was labelled as "older, poorly educated single males living in supervised apartments or in other types of supervised housing, with psychotic disorders but few serious needs, receiving a large amount of help from services and with a very high SQOL".
Individuals living in supervised apartments were more numerous in clusters 1 and 5, which comprised more individuals aged 50 or over.
Finally, the high frequency of contacts with family physicians, psychiatrists and nurses among cluster 5 patients makes sense because users in this latter group are older and live in supervised apartments, which means that they are more likely to be regularly visited by a health-care professional than people living in autonomous apartments [ 47].
Interestingly, a large majority of the participants included in the cluster with the highest SQOL (Class 4) lived in supervised apartments or other types of supervised housing, were over the age of 50 years, were single and poorly educated, and had psychotic disorders.
Cluster 4 included mainly those living in autonomous apartments while cluster 5 was composed exclusively of persons in supervised apartments.
