Journal of High Institute of Public Health (Dec 2013)
Health Related Quality of Life of Rheumatic Heart Disease Patients in Alexandria: An Intervention Approach
Abstract
Background: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a chronic illness resulting from one or more attacks of acute rheumatic fever and characterized by permanent heart valve damage. RHD affects the health related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients. Objective: to describe the HRQOL of RHD cases in Alexandria. Methods: A retrospective descriptive study and an intervention (one group pretest posttest) approach were used to study RHD and its effect on the HRQOL of the patients registered at the RHD unit in the Main University Hospital and Heart Clinic of El-Shatby University Children's Hospital in Alexandria. Data were collected using a pre-designed structured interviewing questionnaire and the generic form of HRQOL questionnaire (SF36). An intervention program was designed based on the results and perception was reassessed using the same study tools. Results: Regarding the mean scores of HRQOL subscales of RHD cases, scores related to physical components and general health were lower compared to the emotional and social ones. Studying the effect of the personal characteristics of the RHD cases on HRQOL, oneway MANOVA indicated a significant impact of age, diagnosis, complications, attacks, period between treatment and injection. The general perception score was 87.505 ±6.935 and 76.477 ±11.575 pre and post intervention with a highly significant difference. After intervention, RHD patients were about seven and half times more likely to have good level of perception compared to RHD cases before intervention. Conclusion: RHD cases of 30 years and above were found to be statistically associated with poorer HRQOL in all domains except the role limitations due to emotional problems. RHD with valve affection had significant influence on the worst HRQOL in social functioning only. RHD cases receiving treatments every month had a significant poorer HRQOL in all domains in comparison with other periods of treatment. The intervention program had a significant effect on the general perception score among RHD patients.
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