The Influence of Asthma Exacerbations on Health-Related Quality of Life.
The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of asthma on the quality of life (QoL) of patients hospitalized for an exacerbation of the disease and those with controlled asthma receiving outpatient treatment, and to establish the patients' somatic status and the level of health care utilization. This study involved 239 adults with asthma (123 hospitalized patients and 116 outpatients of family physicians). The authors used: WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire and a questionnaire measuring health care utilization. There were no differences in QoL levels between the patients with severe and controlled asthma. The psychological domain was assessed higher by hospitalized patients (p = 0.02). QoL levels correlated negatively with age, place of residence, and marital status, and positively with education. The general QoL level was most strongly influenced by gender, age, education, the number of home visits and interventions of a district nurse, and the somatic index (p < 0.05). Somatic symptoms were more severe in hospitalized patients. The QoL assessment of asthma patients in relation to somatic symptoms, health care services and socio-demographic variables allows better understanding of the complex health situation of patients at various stages of the disease, and tailoring the therapy to individual needs. Patients receiving outpatient treatment require professional psychotherapeutic support.
['Mroczek|B|B|', 'Kurpas|D|D|', 'Urban|M|M|', 'Sitko|Z|Z|', 'Grodzki|T|T|']
D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D000367:Age Factors D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D001249:Asthma D003695:Delivery of Health Care D004522:Educational Status D005260:Female D006306:Health Surveys D006701:Home Nursing D006760:Hospitalization D006801:Humans D008297:Male D017533:Marital Status D008875:Middle Aged D011788:Quality of Life D012737:Sex Factors D012959:Socioeconomic Factors D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D055815:Young Adult
Asthma WHOQOL-BREF Somatic symptoms Health care services Health education