OBJECTIVES: In previous studies, psychopathology particularly negative, depressive and cognitive syndromes adversely influenced health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between schizophrenia symptoms and the HRQoL dimensions of the EQ-5D descriptive system. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Psychiatric Clinic, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre. Patients were assessed for symptom severity using the Clinical Global Impressions-Schizophrenia (CGI-SCH) severity scale (scores range from (1) no illness to (7) most severe possible) by the attending clinicians. Patients’ perceived health states in 5 dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression) with 3 levels of response; (1) no problems, 2 (moderate problems) and 3 (extreme problems) were evaluated using the EQ-5D descriptive system. The association between the 2 scales were examined by Spearman rank correlations. RESULTS: A total of 222 out-patients (Mean age= 37.7, SD= 10.1; Mean duration of illness = 11.42, SD=8.0) with a DSM-IV chart diagnosis of schizophrenia participated in the study. There was a moderate positive correlation between the EQ-5D ‘usual activities’ dimension and each of the CGI-SCH overall, depressive and cognitive symptom dimension scores (rs = 0.35, 0.37 and 0.31, respectively & for all p <0.01). A significant moderate correlation was also found between the EQ-5D ‘anxiety/depression’ and the CGI-SCH depressive symptom dimension scores (rs = 0.35, p <0.01). Weak correlations were found between the CGI-SCH symptoms and other EQ-5D dimensions scores (rs ranges from 0.16 to 0.26, p <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In chronic schizophrenics living in the community, worsening of overall, depressive and cognitive symptoms were moderately associated with deterioration in patients’ usual life activities and worsening of depressed mood was moderately associated with worsening of anxiety or depression states. Schizophrenia syndromes were only weakly associated with patients’ mobility, self-care and sense of pain or discomfort.