TY - JOUR
T1 - Health-related quality of life in patients with congestive heart failure
AU - Lee, Diana T F
AU - Yu, Doris S F
AU - Woo, Jean
AU - Thompson , David, R.
PY - 2005/3/16
Y1 - 2005/3/16
N2 - Background: Despite abundant evidence attesting to poor physical, psychological and social functioning of congestive heart failure (CHF) patients, little is known about the impact of the disease itself on health-related quality of life (HRQL). Most previous work has focused on general quality of life issues rather than specifically on the impact of CHF on HRQL. Aim: To identify the significant demographic, clinical and psychosocial factors associated with HRQL in patients with CHF. Methods: A total of 227 CHF patients were recruited from the medical unit of a general hospital in Hong Kong. Cross-sectional data on HRQL, functional status, psychological state, social support and health perception were obtained from each patient and clinical data were obtained from hospital records. Results: In hierarchical regression analysis, psychological distress, poor health perception, higher NYHA grading and lower education level were identified as the significant factors associated with poorer HRQL. These correlates in total explained 52% of the variance for the HRQL scores. Among these correlates, psychological distress and NYHA grading demonstrated the greatest effect on HRQL scores. Conclusion: The findings highlight the significance of addressing the psychological and functional health of CHF patients. Assisting these patients to cultivate a positive attitude towards their own health status is also an important treatment goal.
AB - Background: Despite abundant evidence attesting to poor physical, psychological and social functioning of congestive heart failure (CHF) patients, little is known about the impact of the disease itself on health-related quality of life (HRQL). Most previous work has focused on general quality of life issues rather than specifically on the impact of CHF on HRQL. Aim: To identify the significant demographic, clinical and psychosocial factors associated with HRQL in patients with CHF. Methods: A total of 227 CHF patients were recruited from the medical unit of a general hospital in Hong Kong. Cross-sectional data on HRQL, functional status, psychological state, social support and health perception were obtained from each patient and clinical data were obtained from hospital records. Results: In hierarchical regression analysis, psychological distress, poor health perception, higher NYHA grading and lower education level were identified as the significant factors associated with poorer HRQL. These correlates in total explained 52% of the variance for the HRQL scores. Among these correlates, psychological distress and NYHA grading demonstrated the greatest effect on HRQL scores. Conclusion: The findings highlight the significance of addressing the psychological and functional health of CHF patients. Assisting these patients to cultivate a positive attitude towards their own health status is also an important treatment goal.
KW - Functional health
KW - Health-related quality of life
KW - Heart failure
KW - Psychological distress
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=13844275814&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ejheart.2004.08.004
DO - 10.1016/j.ejheart.2004.08.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 15718183
AN - SCOPUS:13844275814
VL - 7
SP - 419
EP - 422
JO - European journal of heart failure : journal of the Working Group on Heart Failure of the European So
JF - European journal of heart failure : journal of the Working Group on Heart Failure of the European So
SN - 1388-9842
IS - 3 SPEC. ISS.
ER -